


The Snow King

by cutesymochi



Category: TXT (Korea Band), Tomorrow X Together | TXT (Band)
Genre: And also other relationships will bloom too, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Its a slow start but i promise it will build up, M/M, and he's out of my control... and im the writer, and there's a big shook coming in future chapters so tags will be added too, blood and kind of gore?, the other boys will come out soon, the snow king is a very sadistic person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-03-17 00:31:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 42,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18954271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutesymochi/pseuds/cutesymochi
Summary: Looking back, when Beomgyu first locked eyes with him,he never thought that he would give his whole life to him,that he would go on this dangerous adventure…and that he would fall deeply in love with him.





	1. Intro- (Adagio)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again guys!  
> I'm back again with another long fic, and maybe this will be longer than Hypnotic or Y.A.H.M...  
> This fic i've adapted it from a very nice story of Andersen, maybe you guys know it.  
> Well, its very different from the original one, ahahahaha let's see if everything comes out as planned.  
> I've got this story structured and know where i want it to go, so... I think i got this under control...I just hope ONE CHARACTER doesnt give me trouble later on...  
> Unlike Hypnotic and the other ones, this story might be a bit different, but I hope you guys like it!  
> So without further ado... Enjoy this new story!

 

Choi Beomgyu, the owner’s son of the famous hotel of Waeng town: Crown, was known to be really silent, extremely serious, and rarely talked with anyone. Not that he hates to do so; he’s just always been like that.

What Beomgyu wasn’t: is stupid.

The whole town knew each other, it was a small place, so as news traveled fast, the fact that Beomgyu was declining every single invitation and love confession that came his way, it soon became a competition on who would be the lucky boy or girl to win his heart.

He’s received a lot of letters with love confessions; 6 last month, and so far, it’s been 8 in this one.

And lately, the suitors were asking him to come to the Winter Festival as their partner… to which Beomgyu always declined politely.

From flowers, to attempts to flirt with him, the teens of the town did everything they could, but he wouldn’t give in.

The current “heartthrob” of the town, Woo Seung, who had been pretty insisting to Beomgyu to go on a date with him, once brought a girl to the hotel and pretended to rent a room in hopes to make him ‘jealous’… for some reason.

Beomgyu, in all honesty, was very unfazed by the smirk the boy had on his mouth.

“We’ve been dating for some time now, since you kept rejecting me”- He looked at the girl sitting on the couches, waiting for the boy- “She’s an absolute beauty, and she’s a great kisser…Jealous?”

“Why would I be, hyung?”- He answered as he pretended to look for a room

“Well, because you’re not that special to me now… just another passing little crush”

“Great”- He said as he felt the intense stare that the boy was giving him….

_Passing little crush…?_

“A-and… you’re not even that cute, to be honest”- He looked over at the girl waiting for him, who was clearly giving Beomgyu nervous glances, trying to hear what Seung was talking to him- “She’s a total keeper”

“Good for you, hyung”- He said with an indifferent tone, as he gave him a small key- “Breakfast is from 9 to 11, enjoy”

Beomgyu flashed him a rapid smile that didn’t go unnoticed by Woo Seung, who blushed a bit, eyeing the key.

“Umm…eh- you know what?”- He stuttered timidly- “I- we don’t- yeah”

He turned around, motioning the girl to follow him and then turned to see Beomgyu, muttering shy ‘thanks’ as he walked out of the hotel.

The boy rolled his eyes and hung back the keys again, closing the guest book

After that, Woo Seung and other suitors kept trying their best, yet Beomgyu did a great job ignoring them, everyone, every single girl and boy.

The youngster would sometimes stop himself and theorize that perhaps one of them wanted to be his friend, to get to know him well and then see if that would escalate the relationship to something more romantic than friendship… and yes, some of them did looked for that, but he wasn’t looking for romance, and when he explained that, some people understood and managed to build a great friendship that Beomgyu, to this day, really appreciates.

But then people like Woo Seung came, insisting to no end for him to give up and date him, they people that were so obstinate that it became a problem. So Beomgyu just ignored them, answered sharply and when necessary, until they gave up and left.

That’s when Evie’s words of wisdom came in:

“Listen to me boy, there’s always a first time to everything, so right now that you’re just evading everyone who is in love with you, you must give yourself time to think things through”- The old lady, Evie, said firmly- “In my times, when boys were in love with me they would also be so pushy over me, always trying to get me on dates and my parents would encourage me to go out with them”

Beomgyu eyed her as she stamped books on the counter, listening to her attentively as he handed another stack of books from the trolley:

“So you’re… trying to encourage me now to go out with them…?”

Evie stared at him with her eyes wide open, slamming the sealer on the table.

“ _Hell no_ ”- She exclaimed- “I was actually trying to encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. You’re way too smart for any of the brats that live in this godforsaken town… all of them are a bunch of uncultured leeches just thinking about mindless things”

Beomgyu let out a laugh and took a seat near the chair of Evie. She was shaking her head, often looking at the boy.

The librarian Evie was the closest person Beomgyu talked to: the first time that he met her, she had actually offered him a book that Beomgyu considered it a ‘must read before you die’ and from that day they both became really good friends.

“I mean it, you’ve got the choice now, I know you will find a good person in your life”- She raised a finger and adverted him- “And if one of those imbeciles gets in your way, give me a call and I’ll put them in their place, I may be old but my cane will give them a direct invitation to the hospital”

Beomgyu laughed at that. The old lady also smiled as she continued to stamp the dates on the front page of the books, she let out a sigh.

“Now…be honest with me, Bam”- She looked at him intently- “Is there really no one, not even a soul in this town, I know it’s hard to find a decent specimen in this place, but…?”

“No”- He laughed- “No one”

“ _Yet_ ”- She said

“No…”

“Yah, leave it as a _yet_ , who knows”- She dropped the book on the pile with a satisficed grin

Beomgyu looked at the old lady with curiosity, standing up as he brought her more books and helped get the ones that were already sealed out of her way.

“What do you know, Evie?”

“Oh boy, the things we old people hear in these walls,”- She closed a book with a smug grin- “We’re not wise for nothing”

“You just like to gossip, come on”

“Gossip? I prefer to call it as _informal communication of important events that happens to people and not me_ ”

“Quite a large name…”

“You see? Wise woman”- She said confidently, returning the last book to the youngster- “Believe me, Bam… you might be surprised soon. Maybe the right one will enter the hotel one day and you’ll just _know_ ”

Beomgyu tilted his head confused by the old lady’s words; nevertheless, he focused on helping her by returning the books to their shelves.

**+x+**

To say that the old lady’s words didn’t haunted him for some weeks was an understatement.

Every time some one entered the hotel, Beomgyu would turn rapidly to see whom it was, only to be met with couples or families that were traveling. Even one time Evie came to visit to the hotel and grab a cup of coffee, Beomgyu turned around so fast that it made the old lady smile mockingly:

“Expecting visits, Bam?”

“No”

“Oh, you think you can lie to me?”

“I’m not lying, I don’t know who I’m waiting for”

She took the youngster’s hands and patted them tenderly, smiling as she sat on the chair of the hotel’s restaurant.

“Don’t run when you must walk”- She said firmly- “Time works at it’s own pace. He will come when you least expect it”

Days passed by and there came a time when Beomgyu’s expectations stopped, thinking that perhaps she had played a joke on him, and his normal days returned.

Until _he_ did came.

He was arranging some folders at the reception when he heard the door of the hotel open and some steps walking to where Beomgyu was. The boy was so busy and focused on arranging the binders that he had not turned around until the newcomer spoke:

“Excuse me? Is the owner here?”

It was a soft and gentle voice.

Beomgyu turned around and a young man, a bit older, stood in front of him looking at Beomgyu.

To say that both boys didn’t feel a connection the moment they saw each other it would be the biggest lie in history of mankind.

Beomgyu felt something tug in his stomach, butterflies and… curiosity, for the boy in front of him. His smile, the foxlike eyes, those lips and broad shoulders, his dark hair, everything about him was like a book, one that Beomgyu wanted to read; it attracted to him… and he was scared of feeling this all of the sudden.

While Yeonjun, well… the poor boy was lost, he fell for Beomgyu the moment the youngster turned around and saw those brownish eyes staring at him firmly. The elder was immediately taken aback by him; The blonde hair and the gentle features gave Yeonjun the impression of seeing an actual angel in front of him, but knowing that he was, by no means, weak and fragile.

“My dad is on his office”

_‘His dad’…_

“I see… can I- is he free-? Should I come back later?”

“No, you can wait there, I’ll go get him”- Beomgyu said almost rapidly, and cursed himself for that.

“Thanks! I’ll do that then”

Beomgyu looked at him attentively as he walked away toward the office of his dad, looking back at the boy who was now gazing around his surroundings humming a song.

**_“Maybe the right one will enter the hotel one day and you’ll just know_ **

_‘Evie…’_

**+x+**

 

_DING!_

“Bellboy!”

Yeonjun dashed toward the door, flashing a smile at the new guests, taking the luggage and placing them near the entrance as the elderly couple walked toward the reception.

As the guests were busy, he took a chance to glance at the small frame that was now entering the hotel holding a book.

Choi Beomgyu. His boss’s son…

Yeonjun flashed him a smile (one that escaped his lips involuntarily) it was so big it conveyed the legit happiness that he felt to see him on his very busy day.

It was clear since day one that Yeonjun was so in love with him, the other bellboys could tell, the cooks too, and Evie, the old lady at the library that he rents a room in her house, knew it already… well, mostly because one day, when he was shoveling the snow on the entrance of the hotel, he looked at Beomgyu walking on the sidewalk and Yeonjun was lost…

He sighed in defeat, and when he turned around, the old lady’s grin made him pale:

“Miss Evie!”

“Jun”

“I- I wasn’t-“

“Easy there, I’m not saying anything”- She also looked at the youngster who was walking away, unaware of the situation- “It’s actually quite obvious and I suspected about this for some time”

Yeonjun let out a timid laugh, scratching the back of his head:

“Am I that obvious?”

“Quite”- She spat- “I’m surprised he hasn’t noticed it”

“Please… Don’t tell anyone about this”

“About what?”

“About… this” -He pleaded with his eyes, meeting hers that had a mischievous glint.

“What about it?”

Yeonjun stared at her dumbfounded but after a second, he smiled and hugged her, the old lady chucking and patting the boy’s head tenderly.

_DING!_

“Bellboy!”

The boy jumped, the shovel making a loud sound as it fell on the ground. Yeonjun grabbed in rapidly and as both Evie and the boy laughed, he hurried inside.

On the next days, he managed to see Beomgyu and did his best to greet him, smiling at him and make him laugh or at least get him to do small talk.

But…

“Hello!”

“Good day, hyung”

And walked away.

His hopes immediately felt like collapsing on the ground, but with determination in mind, he constantly lifted them up; because… on the bright side, at least he saw him today! Which means that automatically it’s a great day now!

_Hell yeah it is!_

He smiled instantly, his eyes with a glint of happiness and fortitude.

The new visitors walked toward him and he showed them a tender beam, helping them carry their bags to their assigned room with renewed encouragement, not knowing that Beomgyu watched him attentively from afar.

As time went by, Yeonjun kept trying nonetheless, his mission being clear: _just a smile, give me a smile, please…_

He tried, he did his best, and he even told him one of his jokes:

“So, what’s a fish without an eye?”- He flashed him a playful smile as Beomgyu hung keys on the wall, turning to look at him confused- “A fsh!”

Yeonjun smiled, trying so hard not to laugh and watched how the youngster shook his head:

“Oh come on, at least… pity laugh at that”

“No way”

“Admit it was a good one”

“It wasn’t, hyung”

“Not even a little bit?”- Yeonjun pouted, a bit disappointed and discouraged.

Beomgyu was silent for a little bit, Yeonjun sighed after a while and started to walk away when:

“It was a bit funny”

Yeonjun turned around, seeing Beomgyu looking at him, not smiling but a glint on his eyes, one that Yeonjun hasn’t seen before and that made him feel cheers on his stomach.

“A bad one”- Beomgyu confessed- “yet kinda funny”

The happiness that the elder was feeling at that moment was overwhelming.

“Wait until you hear my whole repertory!”

“Please no”

Yeonjun chuckled; at least he did some progress.

**+x+**

The day that he truly did progress was a slow day of autumn, when it wasn’t that much people coming to the hotel and the two of them were at the reception.

Beomgyu was cleaning the dishes from the restaurant and Yeonjun was in charge on mopping the floor.

The youngster seemed more serious and cheerless, as if he didn’t sleep well or was having a terrible day, so Yeonjun just couldn’t bear seeing him that way, it was like torture.

Seeing the small wet clothes, an idea flourished on his mind, a great one...

So, as Beomgyu finished with the dishes, he cleaned them and placed them on their designated shelves, and when he was done, he turned around and saw Yeonjun… skating with the wet rags on his shoes…

_Skating…_

Beomgyu’s eyes widened, feeling a storm of emotions surfacing: confusion, shock, amazement… and happiness.

Yeonjun kept skating, knowing that Beomgyu was watching him, so he went toward him, seeing the shocked face on his delicate features.

“Kind gentleman, can this humble bellboy have a brandy on this fine day?”- The elder joked, resting his arms on the counter as he looked at the boy with fake tiredness, but he immediately changed his expression to a surprised one… as he saw a smile appear on the youngster’s lips.

He smiled…

Beomgyu smiled.

Yeonjun made an angel smile.

He suppressed his urge to go out of the hotel and scream to all the cosmos his achievement, such a huge progress was being made right now! He remained there, watching the boy’s face, treasuring that happiness in his memory.

“Is that a yes?”- He pushed the act further, his smirk never leaving his face.

Beomgyu shook his head as he looked over at the reception and the entrance, a small laugh leaving his mouth.

“You can’t, are you crazy, hyung?”

“I’m aware, but… I’m a tired bellboy, so I was wondering if I could have a refreshment so I won’t die from my tiredness, please…”

A chuckle was heard, and it was as music from heaven graced his ears, Yeonjun wanted to hear it again…

“Well, humble bellboy, you must know that you will get us in trouble”

“I don’t regret this if it will end my suffering and recover my energy”

“So, water it is”- Beomgyu concluded, grabbing a glass and willing to fill it, but Yeonjun stopped him:

“No, no… I believe I said brandy”

Beomgyu shoot him a glare and Yeonjun rapidly corrected himself:

“I- I mean, water is great!”

Beomgyu gave him the glass and Yeonjun took a sip, trying to control the tremor of nervousness and excitement that he was feeling.

“Feeling better?”

Yeonjun left the glass aside and laid down his head on the counter, faking wooziness while looking at Beomgyu.

“I’m still tired”

“Hyung”

“Cure me”

“I’m not a doctor”

“Yes you can”- He pouted

“How?”- The youngster asked

“Well… you can cure me if you accept to come with me to skate later at the lake?”- Yeonjun asked timidly.

Beomgyu stared at him, taken aback by the sudden invitation. Yeonjun looked at him pleadingly, the silence becoming unbearable; he didn’t expected himself to burl out the invitation this soon, but… it happened, and now he must see the results of his efforts.

“Hyung…”- The youngster muttered- “I… don’t skate, I don’t know how”

Yeonjun looked down, sighing in defeat, nodding to Beomgyu incapable to meet his eyes… but then he felt a hand on his arm.

“But I can watch you, if that’s okay”

And as fast as the disappointment came, it went away and was replaced by excitement and shock, he even took the youngster’s hand and grasped it tenderly as he burled out:

“No, no! I can teach you! It’s super easy, you’ll learn fast!”

“I don’t know…”

“Trust me on this! I’m an expert!”

Beomgyu stayed silent as he eyed him and at the end, he sighed and nodded in defeat:

“Fine, then”

Yeonjun reminded Beomgyu of an excited puppy that just got a price, finding it incapable to not smile again and chuckle, which made the elder’s excitement increase.

“So, I’ll come get you at 8, is that okay?”

“Sure”

“Excellent, great”- Yeonjun said, still smiling and straightening himself- “I’ll see you later, then!”

And before Beomgyu could process it, Yeonjun met the floor… forgetting he had the wet rugs attached to his shoes. The elder stood up rapidly, doing a cool and collected pose, clearing his throat and looking at the younger boy’s astonished face.

“It’s all good”- He gave him a thumbs up- “I’m totally ok”

“And this is the teacher that promised to tutor me…?”

“You will be surprised, it’s all part of the professionalism that surrounds me, I can’t show you all my secrets yet”

Beomgyu laughed again, and Yeonjun, for the first time felt that things were going to finally take over from here.

**+x+**

“I was asked on a date”

Evie looked at him with a surprised face, she sipped on her coffee cup as she lay down on her chair

“Well damn, this youth sure works more efficiently than mine did… and knowing your repertory, you said no, right?”

“I accepted”

“Excuse me?”

“Well…Yeonjun intrigues me”

“Oh! It was him, oh, ok… I take that back, I’m glad you said yes”- She said rapidly smiling, tapping on the boy’s head proudly.

Beomgyu eyed her, getting close and placing his head on his hands.

“You know him?”

“Jun? Of course, he lives with me”- She said nonchalantly as she stood up and went toward the trolley and started to place books on the shelves- “He’s so nice and polite, the kind of person this town needs”

“That’s true”- Beomgyu nodded as he followed her, helping her with the books.

“And really handsome”- She turned around, hitting him playfully with a book- “So you two better don’t fuck it up”

Beomgyu, who was placing a book on a shelf, looked at her with a shocked expression.

“Evie!”

“For this kind of stuffs things must be said as it is: Don’t fuck this up”- She placed the last book and smiled at him- “And just enjoy being with each other!”

**+x+**

“Come here!”

“No”

“Please?”

“No”

“Beomgyu, I’ll hold you”

“No, I’m scared”

“Trust me”

Beomgyu stared at Yeonjun intently, his foxlike eyes never leaving the brown ones of the youngster. The plead in his stare disarmed him completely, and it made him sigh in defeat as he stood up and, fearfully, proceeded to take one of the elder’s hand.

Yeonjun couldn’t stop beaming with happiness; he took the hand and pulled him into the frozen lake, he immediately felt how Beomgyu’s grasp tightened.

“So, now step here, you will slide so be sure to hold onto me”

“No, wait, wait- Yeon **jun** ”- He screamed the last part as he almost slid down but the aforementioned managed to grasp him tightly, and help him stand up.

Beomgyu breathed rapidly, the hard impression of almost falling still not leaving his memory.

“Calm down, I’m here”- the elder said, grabbing his hand- “Come with me, one foot in front, then the other, like this”

He demonstrated how, Beomgyu looking at him attentively and then he imitated him.

“That’s it!”

Beomgyu unconsciously smiled, both boys now skating hand in hand, trying to avoid the other people who were also there.

The frozen lake; the main attraction to Waeng Town, and the main place for the Winter Festival, was always filled with people, so one would have to know when to go there to have a peaceful skate… or then bump with the hockey teens ripping each other out and/or a poor unfortunate soul that was near them.

Yeonjun seemed to know this, because there was people, but not that many, so he either was a lucky guy, or…

Beomgyu rolled his eyes, of course…

_Evie told him, obviously._

They stopped skating for a while, near the shore, and Beomgyu stared at him confused.

“Next lesson! I’ll let you go and you’ll skate toward me”

“No way”- Beomgyu tightened his hold on Yeonjun’s arm- “Don’t you dare”

“You’ll be fine, I’ll be near you”

“I’m going to fall”

“Beomgyu”

“Hyung!”

Yeonjun touched his hand tenderly, getting close to him and Beomgyu cursed the entire cosmos at this point, because he felt his face blush.

“Please trust me”

“I’m going to…”- The youngster muttered, feeling ashamed and a bit nervous- “I don’t want to fall”

“I’ll protect you”- Yeonjun assured, staring at the other’s eyes- “I promise I’ll always do”

Beomgyu stayed silent for a moment and nodded, earning a smile from Yeonjun, who moved a bit further from him, extending his arms.

“Ready?”

“No”

Yeonjun laughed at that, which Beomgyu also smiled a bit, yet he started to skate toward him, feeling his legs starting to tumble, yet Beomgyu said nothing, mainly because he seemed to be getting closer to Yeonjun’s arms.

But then, he slipped, or so it seemed that he did, because one second he was doing fine and then, he felt himself lose control and fall, but before he could feel anything, a pair of arms held him.

_Yeonjun_

“See?”- The elder smiled, helping the boy up who just looked at him- “You’ll get the hang of this, let’s keep practicing, try not to think too much on you falling, you have to feel at ease, be calm and just get loose and free. Let your feet take control, go, and before you know it… you’ll feel no fear of falling”

**+x+**

3 week had passed, and it was only a couple days before the Winter Festival was celebrated, the town at this point was excited; every store was decorated with ornaments and the gazebo near the frozen lake was now adorned with lights and chairs for the band that played every year.

Yeonjun had seen the progress of the decorations as the town’s people kept bringing lights, spheres, and different object to adorn every single place at the lake and the gazebo. And as he skated with Beomgyu, (who was making a lot of progress and now could skate alone without clinging to him), he wondered…

Beomgyu and him were reaching a level of friendship that the elder was amazed by it. They saw each other almost everyday and talked about many things when they had free time, and then, at night he always went to the lake, arriving to see Beomgyu waiting for him, skating and smiling proudly… which made him grin in content, wishing that those moments never ended.

But…

Yeonjun watched how the smug looking, Woo Seung, entered wearing a smirk and a determined face.

Well, Yeonjun didn’t watched, he was just _glaring so fiercely that if looks were knives that kid would be on the ground dead_ at him.

Woo Seung, as Evie kindly informed him, had been trying to bet Beomgyu to go out with him for months, getting rejected every single time, and yet… he was incredibly persistent.

**_“He’s a complete asshole”_ **

**_“Evie!”_ **

**_“I’m serious”_ **

Yeonjun could see how Beomgyu’s face changed from a calm and collected expression to a stern and annoyed one... And the elder finally understood why Evie had used that word to describe him.

Because yes: he was indeed an asshole.

“Hello there beautiful”

Beomgyu pretended to read the guest book, muttering a ‘welcome’ in a very quiet voice that Yeonjun almost didn’t catch it. The guest’s smirk faltered.

“I would like to know if you have thought about my proposal, the festival is coming soon and the offer is still on the table”

“I already told you my answer, it’s still no”- Beomgyu said firmly, still pretending to check the guest book- “So if you came only for that, then have a good day”

Woo Seung stared at him, rage in his eyes blossoming as Beomgyu turned around and began to ‘check’ the keys.

“Why won’t you just give me a chance, Choi Beomgyu?”- He said pleadingly- “What do I have to do, for you to accept me one date, just one!”

“I already told you-!”

“It’s _not fair!_ ”- Seung screamed enraged

At this, Beomgyu turned around, dumbfounded by the sudden raise in the guest’s voice.

He saw that the boy was almost in tears and that unsettled him, because the boy could explode at any moment… in the hotel, with the guests…

“I’ve tried everything and I’ve had so many patience-“

“I have no interest, you must understand that, hyung…”

“But why? You have no interest in _anyone_! Why are you rejecting everybody?”- He spat- “You don’t have a date, do you plan to go alone to the festival?”

Several people that were in the lounge were staring at them confused and with disapproval, and Beomgyu stayed quiet, not responding anything, the sudden questions and the attitude of Woo Seung leaving him speechless.

“And what if he is?”

Eyes landed on Yeonjun, who had spoken in a spiteful tone as he laid back on the wall, glaring at Woo Seung.

“Excuse me?”

“What if he goes alone to the festival?”- Yeonjun said- “What he decided to do it’s not of your business”

Woo Seung rolled his eyes:

“This doesn’t concern you, _bellboy_ ”

“I’m sorry, but it does”- Yeonjun spat firmly, crossing his arms- “You’re clearly making a scene in the hotel and the guests are expressing their discomfort with the attitude of yours, besides…”

Yeonjun stepped forward, getting closer to the enraged boy who stared at him defiantly.

“You’re making him feel uncomfortable, he already said no, so be a man, accept the rejection and get out of here”

“I don’t take orders from a bellboy”- Seung exclaimed with venom in his voice- “And I will leave when he accepts my invitation, which he will”

“He’s not going with you, get that in your head”

“Then with whom is he going with?”- The boy showed Yeonjun a smirk- “Don’t tell me you’re waiting to invite him? You seriously think he’ll accept?”

The dark haired boy frowned, feeling himself blush and the anger churn in his stomach. He knew that Beomgyu was staring at him, so he tried not to look at the reception, he couldn’t… It was true that Yeonjun had meant to ask him about the Winter Festival, but he was waiting for the right moment… these weeks where they both have gone skating at night, and talked during lunch, Yeonjun hasn’t dared to ask him…

“I-“

“He wouldn’t go with you, you’re just a simple _bellboy_ ”

Beomgyu slammed closed the book and walked toward them; his brown eyes ignited like fire, a rage that Yeonjun hasn’t seen before. The youngster stood between the elder and Woo Seung:

“Don’t you dare talk to him like that”- He said in a low voice- “Either you respect the people in here or you may as well leave”

“Beomgyu-“

“When I say no, that’s my final decision.”- He said firmly- “And as my hyung said: the choice of who I’m going with is none of your business”

Yeonjun’s heart almost bursted out of his chest…

_My hyung…_

“B-but, but- Beomgyu- he-“

“If he invites me to the festival, then I will accept”

Yeonjun’s soul left his body and his heart jumped, a small smile appearing in his face as he almost cried of excitement. Unlike Woo Seung, whose murderous stare was directed to the bellboy at that second, and pointed at him an accusatory finger:

“ _Him?_ You prefer going to the Winter Festival with the _bellboy_ that _me_? The most handsome man in this town?”

“You’re such a disrespectful person; If you treat hard working people like this, I can’t even imagine how would you treat me in the future, and I don’t have the patience to tolerate this behavior of yours”- Beomgyu said in a venomous tone- “Now, leave, because –as you have noticed- we are working here”

Woo Seung had tears in his eyes at this point, Beomgyu’s merciless words hit him hard and he disappeared in the blink of an eye, running away.

Beomgyu let out a breath and started walking back to the reception desk, but a pair of arms surrounded him, hugging him from behind.

“Yeonjun-!”

“Is it true?”- The elder whispered in his ear- “What you said about the festival, is it true?

Beomgyu placed his hand on the elder’s, breaking the hug and looking at him in the eyes. Yeonjun’s excitement was replaced for fear, the uncertainty unnerving him by the second.

“It’s true”- The youngster said, blushing a bit and small smile appearing on his lips- “But you ha-“

“Choi Beomgyu, do you want to go to the Winter Festival with me?”- Yeonjun asked rapidly, taking the youngster’s hands tenderly with excitement in his eyes, expecting the answer of the boy.

Beomgyu laughed and nodded:

“Yes, I’ll go with you”

“And as I have my day off tomorrow, do you also want to go grab hot chocolate?”- Yeonjun asked- “And then go have a walk? And play in the snow? And then later go and skate?”

“But don’t you want to sleep or rest-?”

“No, I want to… I- I want us to go on… a…”- Yeonjun’s voice lowered as he spoke, the embarrassment getting the better of him and feeling himself blush.

“Hyung?”

“I- please, do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow?”

Beomgyu stayed silent, those words…

He had heard those words so frequently lately, in so many different tones, some innocent, some arrogant, and then…

This sincere tone… shy, sweet, unique… Yeonjun’s.

**_“Don’t fuck this up”_ **

Evie’s words resonated in his mind.

But he didn’t need to remember them or doubt for a second his answer, for it was obvious, and he realized that he’d been waiting for so long to give it to someone.

“Yes”

Yeonjun almost jumped, screaming his heart out, but he just laughed excited as he saw the boy also smiling.

_DING!_

“Bellboy!”

Yeonjun chuckled…

_That timing though…_

But hey…

_Tomorrow he had a date with an angel!_

 

**+x+**

“Ok, so… football or baseball?”

“Hockey”

Yeonjun laughed loudly, almost falling down due to the laugh, Beomgyu also smiled smugly.

“Good answer”- The elder said chuckling as he tried to contain the laughter.

Beomgyu let go of Yeonjun’s hand, starting to skate in front of him, raising his hands and smiling, spinning around.

Yeonjun took too long to join him, both of them enjoying the ice and the fact that there weren’t too many people there.

The youngster laughed as Yeonjun started to chase him, slipping more than once accidentally as Beomgyu escaped from his grasp, skating toward the gazebo, where he saw a dark silhouette that was staring at him.

His blood immediately ran cold.

He couldn’t see his face at all, just what seemed to be his eyes, and they were so… _blue_ …

_Ice blue…_

He shivered, feelings chills in his arms…

“Beomgyu!”- Yeonjun called him and turned around.

“Hyung…”

“Beom… what? What’s wrong?”- The elder went up to him, grabbing his shoulder with a worried expression.- “You’re so pale, did something happened? Are you cold?”

“N- no, hyung…I saw someone near the-“- He looked back where the silhouette was and saw no one, not even a soul, as if he had imagined everything…

“What? Who did you saw?”

“No… never mind”-The youngster muttered, looking rapidly at the elder- “I’m probably just tired, I’ll go and sit down”

Yeonjun didn’t seemed very convinced; still looking worried at Beomgyu who was now skating toward the edge of the lake.

**+x+**

_Beomgyu couldn’t move._

_He opened his eyes and found his room completely frozen, dark, and he felt chills…_

_He let out a huff, and his breath came out as vapor, he shivered, it was so cold…_

_He tried to stand up but his body was unresponsive, and he immediately felt panic rising up, he opened his mouth attempting to scream but his voice didn’t came out._

_He felt someone staring at him; he wasn’t alone in the room._

_He whimpered as he looked everywhere and he finally saw it._

_At the corner of his room, near the window that led to the street, was standing a figure… two icy blue eyes glaring at him…_

_Beomgyu recognized him; he had been at the lake that time when he was with Yeonjun._

_The boy tried again to scream, call for his dad, but not to avail, he was immobile due to the cold._

_The silhouette walked toward him, and Beomgyu breathed rapidly as the fear increased._

_When the figure was close, it reached its hand and caressed the youngster’s cheek… the touch was so cold. It sat down on the bed, drawing its face so close to Beomgyu’s, and it whispered:_

_‘You’re mine’_

Beomgyu woke up trembling and crying.

He stood up breathing erratically and feeling cold on his cheeks.


	2. Verse (Forte)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!   
> Two chapters in one day? Yeah... its also part of the introduction of the story, but it was so long that I decided to split it in two :D  
> Things are beginning to pick up now, and the story is gearing up for the rest of the characters...!  
> I wanna know what everyone is thinking about this... I wonder if you guys will like it?  
> I'm really excited for this story, and I hope you guys are too!  
> So, without further ado... enjoy!

Yeonjun arrived at the hotel greeting his workmates, it was a day off for him and he decided to surprise Beomgyu.

He watched the small frame that was reading on the small patio that the hotel had and walked toward him, hiding what he had on his hands. When he was close to him, Beomgyu raised his head and met his eyes, a big smile appearing on his mouth.

Yeonjun almost cried in happiness, he loved him so much...

“Hyung! What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to surprise you with something…”- He said, trembling with nervousness.

Beomgyu closed his book and stood up and, at that moment, Yeonjun extended his hand with his gift: a beautiful red rose of glass.

“It’s for you! Tonight is the Winter Festival and”- He looked at Beomgyu timidly- “I wanted to give you a small present”

“It’s so beautiful, hyung, thank you”- The youngster said with sincerity, hugging him and Yeonjun secretly wished to stay like that forever.

Hours before the festival started, Beomgyu was at his room finishing the final touches to the small red pins he had made. The pins were small red roses that went well with his suit and with the present Yeonjun had given him. He looked at the rose of glass that was on his desk, a smile appearing on his lips.

“Gyu, your boyfriend is here”- His dad called him from downstairs.

He giggled in embarrassment; he can’t wait to see the redness in _Yeonjun’s_ face at _that_.

He descended the stairs and, indeed, Yeonjun stood there completely flustered, and… looking really handsome that Beomgyu almost dropped from the stairs but managed to compose himself.

_Why is he so damn handsome, why? Why?_

The suit that Yeonjun wore had formal and delicate touches and the boots he was using made him look a bit older. And the trench coat, he looked so amazing, the youngster was speechless; Yeonjun was really handsome.

But what Beomgyu didn’t know, was that the one who was truly malfunctioning was Choi Yeonjun.

Why? Quite simple: because Beomgyu looked god-like on a suit, and the fact that he was seeing this, it made Yeonjun’s heart skyrocket to the sun and never coming back.

Beomgyu was wearing a formal black suit that had gold buttons on the jacket and the sleeves. His boots were so perfect and even the way he styled his hair… he looked like a small prince…

_Yeonjun’s prince_

“H-hello”- Yeonjun stuttered, and needless to say, he wanted to slap himself.

_Control yourself, Choi Yeonjun, chill_

“Hi”- Beomgyu smiled happily.

The youngster walked toward him, his eyes directed at the elder’s chest, for some reason.

“Look”- The delicate voice of him tainted with excitement as he showed him the pins- “I made these for us”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened, they were beautiful and so well made… he grabbed one and motioned for Beomgyu not to move as he placed it on him. When he was done, Beomgyu proceeded to do the same with the elder.

Both looked so elegant, and matched so well…

They entwined their hands and walked outside, not forgetting their coats for the cold.

When they arrived at the Winter Festival, they saw the town’s people so happy and dancing so excitedly, many of the boys and girls greeted Beomgyu and Yeonjun with content, all of them except Woo Seung; who at first just looked at Beomgyu with his mouth open and then glared at the elder, seething with hate.

The couple, of course, ignored him.

Evie, who was with the band, playing a piece on the piano, greeted them with a ‘I smell boyfriends of the year’ smile, making both of them laugh.

The chipper music, after a while, slowed down, perfect for the couples to dance.

Beomgyu and Yeonjun danced to the rhythm, the elder’s arms snaked around the youngster’s waist, while the blonde-haired boy had his arms around the other’s nape.

The elder looked at the other’s eyes, and after a while, he muttered:

“I need to tell you something”

The smaller boy looked at him a bit worried, and Yeonjun chuckled nervously:

“Don’t worry, is nothing bad”

“Yah, don’t scare me”- Beomgyu pouted.

Yeonjun laughed and raised his hands in defeat.

“I’m sorry!”

The youngster sighed, still pouting, and the elder took his hand, taking him away from the people and toward the lake, where the seats that surrounded it were decorated beautifully and the music reached there but wasn’t that loud, so they could talk comfortably.

They sat down and stared at the entrance of the forest, where the moon was starting to appear on top of the trees.

Yeonjun took Beomgyu’s hand.

“Beomie…I-”

The elder scratched his head as he looked at Beomgyu, he had thought about it so many times and rehearsed how he would say it… but now, he was blank.

“I- I have something for you”

He took out the little box and gave it to the youngster, who opened it with curiosity and gasped:

“I’ve wanted to give you something symbolic for some time”- Yeonjun said with a smile, as Beomgyu took out the silver ring, he saw something scripted in small letters:

_“The two of us will always be one”_

The blonde haired boy stared at Yeonjun completely shocked:

“Junnie-“

“Please, accept it”

Beomgyu was at a loss of words; he felt his cheeks going a deep red as he placed the ring on his index finger.

It was a perfect fit, and Yeonjun had to control his excitement not to scream in victory, thanking to all the gods that he and the guy that attended him, (a friend of Beomgyu) both guessed correctly the size for the ring.

He stood up, extending his hand for the boy to take, and both started to dance again, this time alone to the music.

“Choi Beomgyu”-He drew closer to the younger boy, their foreheads touching- “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

The youngster smiled at him and nodded:

“I do”

The elder pulled him, closing the distance with a chaste kiss.

“I love you, Yeonjun hyung”- The boy whispered, as he caressed the elder’s cheeks tenderly.

“I love you too, Beomie”- He responded with adoration, kissing the ring in the youngster’s hand- “I love you so, so much”

The youngster closed his eyes and the sudden memory of two blue eyes invaded him, making him hug the elder closer, as a glacial voice echoed in his mind:

**_‘You’re mine’_ **

**+x+**

He woke up feeling cold.

Incredibly cold…

Beomgyu pulled his bed sheet up his chin, yet it didn’t managed to warm him at all; it was still freezing...

In Waeng town it was usual to have really cold winters, but not at that extent.

Something was wrong…

A strange feeling began to creep up.

He stood up; almost tripping with the boots he wore for the festival, and grabbed the ring of Yeonjun, placing it on his finger.

He looked on the window and his blood ran cold.

The dark figure with the icy blue eyes, was on the street staring at him, and carried Yeonjun in his arms.

“No… No! _No_!”- He screamed as he hit the window.

The figure turned around and started to walk toward the woods.

Beomgyu turned around and dashed out of his room, sprinting toward the hotel’s entrance, not caring about the guests or wearing a jacket. His father screamed his name on the reception, yet he didn’t listened, his mind was focused on Yeonjun.

The youngster ran toward the lake, the sun wasn’t even up yet but a little bit of light could be perceived, he saw the figure of the silhouette entering the woods with Yeonjun and he ran toward it.

“Stop!”- He screamed, his voice cracking up due to the cold- “Don’t take him!”

When he seemed a little bit close, he saw an enormous white sled where the figure was seating and Yeonjun still unconscious on the chair. Beomgyu ran toward it, the icy blue eyes glared at him and stood up.

“No, please!”

The silhouette extended an arm to Beomgyu. The boy hurried and took a step forward but suddenly, a sinister laugh was heard coming from the figure as the snow started to stick on Beomgyu’s legs and clothing, becoming too heavy to walk, and in no time the cold began to pierce through his clothes to his skin, making him feel extremely cold, he screamed in pain as he watched with horror that the sled began to move.

“Yeonjun!”

Beomgyu stood up and started to run, the pain of the cold still affecting him but the adrenaline and the anxiousness empowering him.

“Yeonjun!”- He cried- “ _No_!”

The laugh was heard again, and the pain worsened up, he was tumbled down again, his feet starting to feel numb and his vision going in circles.

_Yeonjun…_

Voices and steps were heard close to where he was…

_Yeonjun…_

“Beomgyu!”

He saw a boot and someone turned him around, touching his forehead, the hand was warm…

_Yeonjun…_

“Jun… nie…”

“Beomgyu, stay awake”

He recognized that voice but he couldn’t tell who it was… he was lifted from the ground and as tears fell down from his eyes, he passed out.

**_‘You’re mine’_ **

**+x+**

** 2 weeks after Yeonjun’s disappearance **

Beomgyu was walking on the streets of Waeng Town, not looking at anybody but fully knowing that he was being stared at.

He knew exactly why, everything in this town was gossiped; they all knew that Yeonjun and him were close and that the same day they became a couple he had disappeared.

_Taken… he was taken…_

Every night, Beomgyu cried himself to sleep, and every time he did he dreamed of him: his Yeonjun, those blue eyes, Yeonjun’s unconscious body in its arms.

That figure, whatever it was, had made him almost freeze to dead…

_The winter took him…_

The police had gone to where Yeonjun had lived, in Evie’s house, and found no clues or hints of struggle or fighting; everything was in order and the old woman said to them and Beomgyu that Yeonjun didn’t came home that night.

“The festival ended really late so I thought that you were with him”

With Evie’s version of the story, Beomgyu assumed that the _thing_ had intercepted him on his way back to her house, did something to knock him unconscious and kidnapped him.

As days went by, a group of people organized themselves to search on the woods that Beomgyu said he had seen Yeonjun, at the end of the day they found nothing.

And the same story repeated itself for weeks…

Until one day:

“They found his trench coat”- His dad told Beomgyu, who was caressing the glass flower, tears escaping his eyes- “It was on the woods near Umbra Lake...”

Beomgyu’s stomach churned, the nausea creeping up his throat.

_Not there, not that lake, it can’t be…_

Umbra Lake was the deepest and dangerous water from Waeng Town, everyone was scared of it and even the marine explorers from neighboring town were hesitant to explore it. It was so dark, not even fish swam there…

It was a literal dead lake.

“He didn’t drown”

“Beomgyu-“

“He’s _not_ dead”- He exclaimed, starting to tear up while touching his ring- “I know he’s not”

His dad remained silent looking at his son with tenderness, placing a kiss on his forehead.

“I know”- He confessed, earning a soft look from Beomgyu- “I don’t think so either”

**+x+**

“The house is really quiet without him”

Evie sighed as she sat down on the chair, a cup of coffee in front of her, and a hot chocolate for the youngster.

“Tomorrow is his funeral”- Evie muttered- “People were talking about it everywhere I went”

“He’s not dead”- He whispered, his voice tainted with pain- “Evie… he was taken, I saw it”

“Yes, I know”

“His jacked must have fallen from the sled near the lake”- He mumbled- “When Yeonjun left, he didn’t had the jacket on because we danced and he-”

His voice broke as the tears invaded him again; the old woman went to the boy and hugged him. After a while, when Beomgyu was more calm, she looked at him and said:

“The police said not to give it to anyone but…”- She stood up and walked toward a room- “I feel that this is better with you than here”

She came back with Yeonjun’s trench coat, to which Beomgyu took it and hugged it, the scent of vanilla reaching him.

 _Yeonjun_ …

Beomgyu closed his eyes, tears falling down again, as the memory of the dance, the moon, and a teary eyed Yeonjun came back.

As he came out from Evie’s house and walked some steps toward the hotel, he felt someone behind him, hugging the youngster from behind and covering his mouth. A too familiar voice said his name:

“Choi Beomgyu”

The youngster struggled from the hold, and looked at Woo Seung, who had an enormous grin:

“I’m sorry for your boyfriend, he had actually succeeded on starting a relationship with you, but it seems that you’re just surrounded of bad luck”- The elder sneered- “Is that the reason you didn’t date a soul?”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened at those words, Seung continued:

“It seems that you’ve available again, lucky me”- He eyed him up and down- “Because it looks like your ex-boyfriend didn’t learn how to swim”

Beomgyu’s hand connected with the elder’s cheek, the youngster’s eyes filled with rage.

“You disgust me”

“Getting angry, huh?”- The elder grasped Beomgyu’s wrist harshly- “Your dear _bellboy_ is not here to save you now, in fact, I’m sure he’s not dead but maybe he just decided to leave you”

The youngster looked at him with venom, the anger boiling inside him but containing himself:

“He wouldn’t”

“Sure, he would be stupid If he did”- He shrugged as he grasped the boy’s wrist harshly- “But anyway, he’s dead thanks to that lake apparently… so how about you and me… you know, go and have some fun?”

The elder winked at him, the youngster looking at him with repugnance as he managed to release himself from the grip, lashing another hard slap on the other’s cheek.

“No”- He spat- “And don’t ever talk to me again, leave me alone”

The elder’s eyes glinted dangerously; he was about to say something when something hit him on the head.

A cane.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for years…”-Evie lowered the cane in satisfaction, nudging the unconscious boy- “He will be out for some time, let’s go”

Beomgyu smiled at her, nodding as he hugged her.

**+x+**

Beomgyu walked with determination, the people greeting him timidly and he nodded his head to them. The trench coat of Yeonjun making him feel safe, confident, and yet… the moment he stepped on the church and walked the aisle as the melancholic music reached his ears, he faltered.

At the center of the church there stood a picture of Yeonjun, the smile he missed so dearly, his eyes…

He stopped.

The people watched him, even his dad, yet Beomgyu’s stare was focused on the picture.

_Yeonjun’s unconscious body on that thing’s arms…_

Beomgyu’s jaw tightened and walked away, running outside as the tears wouldn’t stop coming out.

He reached the last steps and dashed toward the forest. He heard someone screaming his name, but this time he wouldn’t stop.

He couldn’t.

Yeonjun needed his help.

He arrived to the place where he saw the figure with the sled, and continued forward, a couple of meters then he spotted where he had fainted, and he kept running. Stopping to recover his breath and walking slowly.

_Keep going forward_

He ran for a bit until he started to see in front of him an enormous extension of water appear below him.

Umbra Lake

It was amazing how the lake where Yeonjun and Beomgyu skated back in town was ice cold, yet this lake never froze… it was so dark; it terrified Beomgyu to no end.

It was a black hole of death.

The youngster started to walk away fearfully from the ravine, but a noise alerted him as he felt then that the ground started to collapse. He screamed as he fell down, something cold surrounding him and making him gasp for air and opening his eyes.

It was so dark…

_Umbra Lake_

He tried to swim up, to get out, but something else pulled him down… and then, the only thing that Beomgyu could remember, was darkness and a pair of hands pulling him out…

_Yeonjun…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on twitter!  
> @cutesymochi


	3. Chorus (Ostinato)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!  
> So, here's where the fun starts! After the introductory chapters, this is where the story starts to unfold, so i hope you like it :D  
> The response has been great so far, and I love the comments so keep them coming! I like to hears your opinions!  
> Sorry if I take too long on the chapters, I like to give you guys good content and great stories, so i take too long editing and correcting the chapters so please be patient!  
> So, without further ado, enjoy this new chapter!

 

Beomgyu opened his eyes and saw… green.

He could smell the aroma of trees, pure air and delicious fragrances of different types of food.

As he straightened himself and adjusted his sight, he noticed that he was in a small room lying on a comfortable bed, but… this was not his room at the hotel, not at all.

There were windows from either side; both were open, so the roots of plants and flowers entered from them, invading the room. He could see that the roots were so alive, so green and the trees outside were filled with different kinds of fruits. The birds that resided there chirped happily, while squirrels, with other animals, passed by too.

“Oh, you’re awake!”

Beomgyu quickly turned around to the other window, where he saw a young man with dark hair and an enthusiastic smile holding a basket. Before the blonde haired boy could say anything, the boy ran away inside the house.

Beomgyu stood up; hearing the steps from the other male and suddenly, the door to the room was opened, and the dark haired boy looked at him with an excited expression.

He was a bit taller than him; his eyes shone with a glint of cheerfulness and content, there was certain tenderness to them that Beomgyu felt himself drop his guard immediately. The male seemed a bit younger than him, and dressed up too lively, with gardening gear and with a small flower on his head.

_That’s actually cute…_

“My name is Huening Kai! I’m the Prince of the Spring”

“I’m Choi Beomgyu”- He said, as he eyed the young man and the room

“Beomgyu! Oh it’s so nice to finally talk to you” - He walked toward him smiling, grabbing the elder’s hand- “I thought that the lake had claimed your life, because you’ve been sleeping for quite a while now, I was getting really worried”

“How long have I been out?”- He asked worried

“Almost three days”

“What?”- Beomgyu exclaimed shocked, starting to walk toward the entrance, grabbing Yeonjun’s coat that hung on a chair.

“What are you doing?”- Kai asked worried as he followed him- “You can’t leave, you fell on that lake and it almost killed you! You need to rest and get yourself better”

Beomgyu turned to see him, the urgency printed on his features:

“I really appreciate that you rescued me, but my boyfriend is in danger, he needs me”

The soft features of the prince hardened for a fraction of a second but he rapidly controlled himself.

Beomgyu grabbed the door handle and a hand stopped him:

“Please… at least just eat something”- The prince begged- “There’s no point if you faint due to hunger or dehydration… Just eat and then you can go, you’ll be good as new!”

Beomgyu stared at him, and after a minute he gave up, sighing, Kai was right, he needed to recover his strength so he could help Yeonjun.

Kai smiled and skipped to the small dinning room where a pretty table with fruit and flowers adorned the center. The prince grabbed the basket as he exclaimed with an enormous grin:

“You sure arrived on a very lucky day!”- He placed the basket on the table; taking out the contents of it- “These fresh apples finally came down from the gentle trees outside, so you better get ready for my delicious apple pie!”

Beomgyu couldn’t help but show a small smiled as he sat down, eyeing the cherries and strawberries on the table, as well as the peaches that were also on the basket.

“Oh, help yourself up! Those are fresh too”- Kai said cheerfully- “Courtesy from our kind nature!”

The elder took a peach and started to eat it, his eyes widening on how sweet it was, the taste was unique and really delicious and the boy started to eat with more enthusiasm.

The prince smiled, placing a flower crown on Beomgyu and sitting down, the boy glancing at Kai. The youngster settled down some mangoes and bananas on the table with a small knife:

“In the meantime, do you want to help me cut these?”

**+x+**

** Weeks later **

Beomgyu entered the house wearing a smile on his face, holding a basket with some strawberries and raspberries inside it. He was wearing comfortable clothes; a loose white shirt with some blue pants and a hat with a small yellow flower on it.

“Hyuka! They’re ready now!”

The prince turned around and stared at him with legit excitement, clapping and jumping like a small child who got his favorite toy.

“No way! That’s great Beomgyu! Come on, bring them here”- He motioned to the table and as he inspected the fruits he snapped his fingers and said- “Oh! How about we make a raspberry pie today and tomorrow we can make strawberries with sweet cream?”

Beomgyu smiled and nodded:

“I’ll help you with the strawberries, so tomorrow we just finish fast and eat them!”

The elder sat down on the table and began to cut them, taking the green root off of them and placing them on a deep plate that Kai gave him.

“Bam, you’re learning fast!”

“I have a great teacher”- Beomgyu answered, smiling at him- “You’ve taught me on how to do since forever, I had to master it someday!”

“Indeed, but come on, give yourself some credit too”- Kai said with a grin- “A fast learner like you is meant to even surpass the teacher sooner or later”

Beomgyu laughed, and the prince walked away, he took a peek behind him and grabbed a piece of strawberry, eating it when he saw that the youngster was not on sight.

“I hope you’re not eating the strawberries, you always do that! So I really hope you’re not”

The elder snickered, trying not to choke and biting fast before the prince returned. When he managed to swallow the piece, he exclaimed:

“Of course not!”

“Well, you took a long time to answer…”

The elder chuckled and continued cutting the strawberries, he started to hum a song until he felt pain in his left index finger, he gasped and looked at it, he had a small cut and blood was starting to drip, but as he inspected the injury, his eyes drifted to the ring and the inscription:

_The two of us will always be one_

His blood ran cold…

He felt strange, just like… if he was forgetting something…

Beomgyu touched his head, tears threatening to fall down and his heart was beating like crazy.

_A bright smile that shone in the moon._

_Fox-like eyes that were teary…_

**_“I love you too, my Beomie”_ **

_The two of us will always be…_

“-one”

“One strawberry indeed”

Beomgyu turned around scared, dropping the knife on the ground.

“Bam! Oh god, does it hurt? Come on let’s get that cut cleaned before it infects!”

“Kai…“

The prince took beomgyu’s hand and began to wash it:

“You’re always so careless, your mind is constantly on the moon… you need to be careful!”- He said and chuckled- “Remember when you hit your head with the branch of the tree of the squirrel family outside? Or when you fell on the forest because of the-“

_Snow…_

_The intense cold of the snow…_

**_“Choi Beomgyu, do you want to be my boyfriend?”_ **

“Kai-“- His voice trembled, as the memories started to flood his mind.

“So careless, always careless”- Kai laughed, as he applied some soap on the injury.

_It hurts…_

**_“I don’t want to fall”_ **

**_“I’ll protect you”_ **

“Stop!”- He cried, yanking his arm from the prince’s grasp and tumbled down, his arms around himself, trembling uncontrollably.

The younger boy stared at Beomgyu with shock and he immediately went close to him, trying to hug him.

“Bam? What’s wrong?”

**_“What’s wrong?”_ **

_Blue icy eyes… a dark figure…_

**_“You’re mine”_ **

_Yeonjun…_

“Yeonjun…hyung”- He repeated the name, and it all came clear…

He didn’t forget _something_ …

He had forgotten _someone…_

Someone important to Beomgyu…

“Yeonjun… _Junnie_ ”

_My hyung…_

Beomgyu stood up slowly, and without even looking at Kai; he dashed out of the house, but the moment he set out a foot on the garden, roots started to come out tangling around his toes and when he fell, also on his arms, imprisoning him.

“Huening Kai, let me go!”- He tugged, trying to free himself

“I’m doing this for your safety”- The prince said as he came out of the house, the niceness of his voice gone to a firm one that the older didn’t remember ever hearing- “You don’t have any idea on how cruel and heartless _he_ can be”

Beomgyu kept struggling with the roots, trying to stand up, but they were so strong and the fact that Kai was there it probably gave them more strength.

“I need to save him”- He said, looking at the prince- “He-”

“He is going to die!”- He exclaimed in anger as he stood in front of the blonde haired boy- “And you too if you leave”

Beomgyu looked up as he thrashed, the roots continuing to entwine, keeping him on he ground, secure.

“I need to go”- He muttered helplessly- “Please…”

“No, Beomgyu, just think this through”- The prince urged, kneeling- “Why do you think _he_ is doing this? Why do you think _he_ took him? He wants this, he wants y-“

“I don’t care! I have to save him!”

Kai stood up, completely furious as he glared at Beomgyu, who was still struggling and the roots started to tighten around him, making Beomgyu let out a whimper in pain.

“How did you even remember…?”- Kai mumbled incredulous, ignoring the elder- “What’s so special about that kid anyway…? Look! Here you have everything, delicious food, bed, clean water to play! Do you remember when we had that water battle on the lake?”

**_“You can cure me if you accept to come with me to skate later at the lake”_ **

“He’s my boyfriend, and I love him”- He cried, as he crawled forward, some roots breaking as he advanced slowly.

Kai glared at the elder, more roots starting to come out and attack him fast again:

“Listen to me”- Kai’s voice darkened- “What he did to you, with the snow, is just a small taste of his power”

“I can save him”

“Can you? You think so? His power is growing so fast, and I’ve watched him crave for more”-He stopped talking for a while- “He has claimed so many lives… he’s so arrogant and he won’t have mercy on anyone”

One of the roots tangled in the elder’s neck, forcing him down and Beomgyu stopped struggling, sighing as he started to tear up in frustration.

Kai seeming to think of them as the result of the elder’s sadness, he continued:

“He may be dead already…”- He whispered- “He breaks his toys easily”

“No…”- Beomgyu shook his head as more tears started to come out.

“Come here, don’t cry”- He drew closer to the elder, caressing his hair as Beomgyu cried more and Kai cooed him.

“Stay here… it’s not even worth it. We were having so much fun, didn’t we? You’re safe here”

The blonde haired boy nodded slowly, looking at Kai who then caressed his jaw and showed him a tender smile.

“And you adore my apple pies”

Beomgyu nodded and the prince let out a chuckle as he ruffled the blonde locks:

“And to eat the strawberries, don’t think that I haven’t seen you”

Beomgyu smiled a little, the tears still falling down, not noticing the roots starting to slowly untangle from his body until Kai helped him to stand up.

“That’s why you’re going to help me prepare the pie this time!”- He jumped happily, the cheerfulness returning to him and tugging on Beomgyu’s arm- “And we can also add a mango shake!”

The elder stared at him walking slowly, with hesitance, but at the end, he smiled at the vivaciousness of the prince and agreed to help, sitting down at the table.

**+x+**

_“Beomgyu…”_

_“Beomgyu…”_

_“Wake up…”_

The blonde haired boy opened his eyes, and slowly rised up from his bed, someone had called him… he had heard some voices but… there wasn’t anybody in the room, and he knew that Kai was sleeping on the room next to his own…

So who could it be?

_“Beomgyu…”_

_“This way”_

He rapidly glanced where he heard the voices, toward the window, then toward the door…

The voices seemed to be outside his room…?

He stood up and, carefully, he opened the door of his room, tiptoed toward the kitchen and living room; and as expected, Kai was nowhere to be seen.

_“Beomgyu”_

_“Over here”_

_“Outside”_

_“Come here”_

_“Hurry”_

_“Before he wakes up”_

The voices spoke really close as he approached the entrance, and he carefully opened the front door, not seeing anyone there but…

_“Beomgyu”_

“Where are you?”- He whispered

_“Right here”_

He glanced at the small bench that was by his side; there, he spotted green roots with spikes that moved slowly. The moment that he was close; beautiful red roses bloomed, all of them in various sizes that smelled really good.

_“Beomgyu”_

_“Yeonjun needs you”_

_“We must warn you”_

_“He’s in great danger”_

“Yeonjun…”

_“Remember him”_

_“Remember him”_

“Hyung...”- His eyes filled with tears

_“Your Choi Yeonjun”_

_The two of us will always be one…_

_“Beomgyu”_

_“He’s in great danger”_

_“He’s dying”_

_“You must hurry, Beomgyu”_

“Where is him?”- Beomgyu whispered urgently as the roots of the roses tangled on his arms, stinging him accidentally but the adrenaline and the stress were so great that he managed to ignore the pain.

_“Far north”_

_“On his palace”_

_“You must hurry”_

_“He’s killing him”_

“Get away from _**him**_ ”

Beomgyu turned around rapidly at the sound of the thunderous voice; on the entrance, he saw an enraged Kai, whose once gentle eyes now radiated nothing but pure hatred.

_“Go, Beomgyu”_

_“Save him”_

“Leave him alone!”

The roses untangled rapidly from the elder, leaving him with blood on his arms but Beomgyu’s mind now raced as he heard Kai walking to where he was. The prince took his hand, inspecting the injuries:

“Look to what they did to you, Bam!”- He glared at the roses- “Let’s go inside, I’ll take care of you-“

“No!”- He yanked his arm from Kai’s grasp- “That’s enough”

The prince stared at him, his eyes widening in surprise.

Beomgyu noticed that Kai wasn’t even wearing his pajamas, he was dressed up normally… as if he didn’t even went to sleep…

“Were you-?”

“I’m the Prince of the Spring, Beomgyu…”- Kai said firmly- “I’m aware of everything you do, the whole forest is watching, always, and they communicate everything to me”

Beomgyu took a step backwards, feeling an intense fear for the dark haired boy:

“Look, It’s late, Bam”- The prince said calmly and took a step forward- “Go to sleep, we’ll talk about this in the morning-”

“No”

“Listen to me”- His voice thundered- “Don’t complicate things, Beomgyu-”

“No, Kai”- He said with a firm voice

“Beomgyu-“

“Please… I won’t go inside, I won’t stay with you”- He took a step back- “You won’t make me forget him again”

The prince stared at him silently and sighed, his demeanor calming down and the anger leaving him:

“Wait here”

Beomgyu looked at him as the prince turned around, walking inside. In that moment, the blonde haired boy drew closer to the gates, opening the lock.

He turned around and saw Kai holding a coat.

_Yeonjun’s trench coat._

“Here”- The dark haired boy smiled bitterly, not noticing the strange gloves Kai had on- “I’m sure you’ll need it”

Beomgyu smiled, taking the coat but…

Everything happened so fast…

Kai’s hands grasped Beomgyu’s with such force that Beomgyu couldn’t break free. The blonde haired boy saw vines entwining their arms, and felt something stinging.

He tried to yank his arms, but a sharp pain made him yelp in pain:

“Calm down, Bam”- Kai said firmly- “I’m curing you”

The prince drew closer to him, watching Beomgyu attentively as the vines, once the arms were covered with a strange gel, untwined from the boy’s arms.

“Kai-“

“Don’t start”- He smiled- “I already know your whole repertory of excuses. Just please, be careful there, you’re just walking to his trap, Bam…”

Beomgyu stayed silent, the prince looking at him with sad eyes, the tears starting to fall:

“Just… be sure to come back to have my apple pie again”

Beomgyu smiled and nodded, as he stepped back and opened the gates, leaving the house, and Huening Kai behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a question, suggestion or prompt?  
> Twitter: cutesymochi  
> Curious cat: cutesymochi


	4. Bridge (Fugue)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!!  
> So, we finally will meet the King of the Summer!  
> This chapter has been the one that i've felt more self conscious while writing it, The King of Summer is one of the most mature characters so I feel that Beomgyu finally had a chance to rest for a bit :D  
> :D :D :D :D  
> And we will also know about what's going on with Yeonjun  
> :D :D  
> And the identity of the Snow King  
> :D   
> OKAY SO, without further ado...  
> Enjoy this chapter :D  
> Don't forget to leave comments! I love to hear from you guys!!!

 

Yeonjun struggled to open his eyes; he felt a piercing ache on his feet and due to the cold, he was trembling horribly.

He whimpered as he looked around; white… everything was color white and blue, even the bed he was laying in... and it was so cold, the air and the environment was freezing.

He tried to stand up but the moment he did, an intense pain shot through his legs and feet making Yeonjun scream and fall on the ground.

He looked up, trying to grab the edge of the bed and felt that someone was there with him; he looked around and saw two piercing blue eyes glaring at him.

Due to the darkness of the room, he wasn’t able to see the rest of his face, and the dark clothing the figure was wearing helped even less, but Yeonjun recognized him anyway…

Those icy eyes...

“You…“

The silhouette stared at him attentively as the male continued, his whole body starting to tremble.

“I- please”- His voice cracked- “I-I can’t move… I’m s-so cold-”

The figure said nothing, just stared at him as Yeonjun tried to move his feet but failed, as they were unresponsive.

“My feet… please…”

The dark figure walked toward him, and Yeonjun felt even colder when it was near him. The silhouette grabbed him from his arm; his touch felt like ice and threw him back on the bed. The boy shivered uncontrollably, maybe from fear? Cold?... _both._

His head was spinning, the pain of his legs and the presence of the being –whoever or whatever _it_ was- made Yeonjun feel terrified to be with it in the same room; he sensed the danger and he was sure that the being was not intending to keep him alive for long.

“I w-want to go…”- He mumbled- “let me go… I- Beomg-gyu-“

The figure’s eyes narrowed, and Yeonjun continued to speak as he looked at him with fear:

“Beomgyu… where is he-? I-”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened, as he felt a terrible pain on his arm as the being touched it again:

“Beomgyu is not here”- The figure looked at the boy with a sharp hatred- “Not _yet,_ anyway”

The male stared at him with fear, trying to free himself from the grip, but the other was strong and the arm stung, feeling like it burned:

“Stop!”- He screamed- “It hurts!”

“Good”

The figure yanked him; Yeonjun’s eyes looking at the icy blue ones:

“Because right now, I need you to scream”

**+x+**

Beomgyu walked aimlessly looking at the tall trees, the sun was starting to set and the forest started to give him a sinister feeling.

He had lost time on how much he had been walking since he left the Spring’s domain, and he hasn’t seen a single animal, bird or human yet...

But what he did find, after some time, was a small pond:

It was full of flowers and animals, and Beomgyu was surprised that they didn’t run away when they saw him close, on the contrary, they just stared at him. And he stopped warily, but the thirst was too much at this point that, after a second, he just went up to it.

He looked at the water and drew his hands to drink from it; it was so refreshing and so sweet! He smiled and drank some more, and as he went one last time for a drink; Beomgyu then noticed something on the water...

He narrowed his eyes; it seemed that it was an image, the nape of someone...

The person turned around and Beomgyu’s heart skipped a beat:

“Yeonjun!”

The image on the water smiled tenderly at him, as Beomgyu absentmindedly put his hands on the water, as if he could reach him, but his hands went through it.

The image changed abruptly; showing a frozen room, where Yeonjun was looking at someone in terror and then, an ear-piercing scream was heard; the youngster covered his ears, the pain in his heart and the terror he was feeling... the desperation from seeing his hyung suffering made Beomgyu also yell. He noticed with horror how Yeonjun cried when somebody gripped his arm while something white, _frostbite_ , started to spread on his skin and pass out on the bed.

Beomgyu looked away, the tears not stopping, the water returned to its normal state; the image of Yeonjun disappearing but his scream still echoing on the forest.

He whimpered as he tried to stand up, but then, a loud crack was heard.

Beomgyu spun around rapidly, seeing no one around… or so he thought. On his right, there was an enormous white hound with piercing eyes staring at him, showing his sharp teeth and growling.

The blonde haired boy took a step back, feeling tense and scared, and as the tried to control his breathing, moving away slowly, the panic invaded him and he turned around, running away.

He heard the hound howling and in no time, he saw more of the animals behind him, and as he continued to run he felt still the tears threatening to fall, the fear conquering him.

He looked back, seeing one of the hounds catching up to Beomgyu. A sharp pain shot on his arm as the animal managed to knock him down. He landed on the grass, and turned around, seeing the enormous hound looming on top of him, watching the boy’s moves carefully ready to attack if Beomgyu tried to escape.

He noticed that the hound’s presence was cold…

_Freezing cold…_

And it had white piercing eyes that made his blood freeze…

_Ice blue eyes…_

**_“You’re mine”_ **

Beomgyu covered his head with his arms, protecting himself and panicking as he felt the other animals arriving. The one on top of him growled, showing him the sharp teeth’s, and when it was about to attack, a cry was heard next to the shriek of a hound.

Various men, dressed in dark red combat clothes, came down from the trees and got out their swords; one of them pulled it from the body of a hound that immediately melted.

The animals became visibly enraged, looking at the men and started to attack them, including the one on top of the boy who, distracted by one of the men, gave Beomgyu the opportunity to run away.

When he was at a safe distance, he stopped to catch his breath and looked back, making sure he was safe. He saw that the hounds were not trailing him anymore, but his blood froze when he sensed someone behind him, a blade of a sword on his neck immobilized him, threatening to cut him if he made a single move, a deep voice on his ear:

“Choi Beomgyu, I presume?”

Beomgyu stayed silent as a hand turned him around, coming face to face with a tall boy, a bit older than him: light-brown hair and dark brown eyes; he was dressed in a combat attire, similar to the men that attacked the hounds, but his were in light colors; a red shirt and black formal trousers.

Beomgyu didn’t answer and the boy went closer to him, his voice in a threatening tone:

“Answer me” -The sword of the boy was dangerously close now to his throat.

“Y-yes”

The boy stared at him, warily, but he lowered the weapon. A howl was heard again and the boy looked at where the fight was being held, then back to Beomgyu.

“Come with me, and don’t make any noise” -Beomgyu stared at him, wide eyed and followed him.

**+x+**

He was back at the pond, sitting down on the ground his face looking down, in fear of the man who was now eyeing the water attentively.

The boy put his hand in the water and stirred it:

“This is the Pond of Antumbra; the water that is capable to unify and show everything, even what the darkest heart hides”

Beomgyu looked up, seeing that the boy was now staring at him:

“These ponds are scattered all over the world, and only certain people knows about them”- He said- “From where you come from, you maybe know one of them as _Umbra Lake_ ”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened, remembering the enormous lake… he had fallen on it and now he was in this place.

“That... It’s a dead lake”

“It’s not dead”- The boy said, stirring the water- “And it’s not a lake”

He motioned the blonde haired boy to look at the water.

“It’s a mirror that has multiple functions”- He looked at the youngster- "And one of them is to show events that happened"

Beomgyu saw new images appearing, just like last time, but this time he recognized the place:

_It was Waeng Town, near the lake, the night of the Winter Festival._

_Yeonjun was walking the streets smiling, holding his coat as he hummed a song. He stopped as soon as he saw a figure in front of him, icy blue eyes staring at him with an unreadable expression._

_The elder hesitated, feeling judged and extremely nervous and uncomfortable:_

_As Yeonjun walked past him, lowering his head, he felt a cold touch on his shoulder and being shoved to the wall._

_He looked at the figure, his eyes piercing to his soul finding it hard to scream as a hand squeezed his throat._

_The thing scanned him, his eyes stopping on the pin on Yeonjun’s coat; the figure caressed it and unpinned it, looking at it intensely, then to the boy saying:_

_**“You will bring him to me”** _

_The figure covered his eyes, felt a cold sensation that immediately numbed Yeonjun and fell unconscious._

_Beomgyu looked away, the tears couldn’t stop falling as he watched Yeonjun’s body on the arms of the dark figure, just like that day… he let out a whimper at the memory._

The boy looked at Beomgyu from the corner of his eye, noticing the scratches on his arms and legs; something white starting to appear on them.

Frostbite... and it was spreading already...

The boy was about to speak when he heard noises coming toward them, he got up and he grabbed Beomgyu’s arm, forcing him to stand as he heard him wince in pain.

“What?”- The youngster asked alerted, touching his arm that stung.

“Look, I know you’re not from here, it’s completely obvious”- The boy muttered as he walked fast- “But the thing here is that; you just violated the law by entering and using the King of the Summer’s private pond”

“But I- I didn’t knew, I don’t-“

“Second of all, I saw you doing it, which is even worse for you, because you have a witness”- The elder stared at him urgently- “If the soldiers sees you here, there’s going to be trouble for you, so you can do things the easy way or the hard way, your choice”

Beomgyu was about to speak when the boy turned around and rapidly pulled him toward a bush that was near the pond, motioning him to be silent. The youngster looked at him confused, but in no time he heard steps growing nearer and Beomgyu saw again the wolfhounds. The animals started to smell and inspect the area, and as the pack started to come near were the boys where, Beomgyu’s nerves worsened up, hearing the animals growl and howl.

After a while, the animals finally left, and the youngster sighed in relief.

The boys came out of the bush and the blonde haired boy glanced at the pond; the image of Yeonjun being tortured and the scream haunting him, unleashing a dreadful feeling that gave him a newfound courage to speak again to the taller male:

“Please… just- let me go, I have to help him, Yeonjun-“- Beomgyu pleaded, watching the boy look at him attentively- “Tell your king that I didn’t mean to look on his pond, I promise I didn't mean to-“

“He knows that”- The boy interrupted him, drawing a kind smile- “You’re looking at him”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened, as the boy spoke again:

“I’m Choi Soobin, the King of the Summer”

**+x+**

The room, and the palace, reminded Beomgyu of Kai’s house, it was full of plants, an enormous tree at the middle of the palace and a pond surrounding it with crystalline water. As they crossed the garden, the guards greeted the king, who smiled at them.

After a while, they arrived to a room guarded by two men that opened the doors as they saw the king coming closer; Soobin entered, followed by Beomgyu who eyed the place with amazement:

It was a chamber, the king’s chamber, an it had an enormous bed that was at the side, a table with food, chairs, a bookshelf with a lot of books on it… but what called Beomgyu’s attention was and a small pond near the window; the water was a deep red, steam coming out signaling that it was really hot.

Beomgyu glanced at the king, as the man walked toward a door on the left corner of the room; the bathroom, and the youngster sat down on a chair.

“So”- He came back holding bandages and a strange green liquid, tending to the injuries that were bleeding- “How’s Kai?”

Beomgyu stared at him dumbfounded:

“You know the prince?”

Soobin laughed as he looked at the boy, showing him a smile:

“Of course, I’ve known him for a long time”- He placed the green liquid on his arms where the scratches were bleeding- “This tonic is one of his creations, it heals injuries”

“Yes, I know”- He said as he remembered when Kai cured him the last time before Beomgyu left.

The youngster hissed in pain as the elder started to tend on his legs, and that’s when Beomgyu blushed; he forgot completely that he was on pajamas and wearing Yeonjun’s trench coat… and now he was in the presence of a king... and not just any king, but the King of the Summer.

Soobin walked to the pond and looked at the youngster:

“Come here”- He said and Beomgyu obeyed.

The elder put his hand on the water and said, while holding Beomgyu's arm firmly:

“Try not to move too much”

He rinsed some water on the arms and legs, and Beomgyu felt as if the water was scorching them; he whimpered in pain, trying not to scream.

“The ice-hounds have poison on their sharp teeth”- The elder boy said- “The water is combined with my powers, it will burn down the poison and together with Kai’s tonic, it will heal just fine”

The pain lasted for several minutes and when it calmed down, both boys sat down on the chairs.

Soobin stared at Beomgyu with a serious expression:

“You did took your time to run away from his place”

The youngster looked at him confused and the king chuckled as he glanced at the window, small roses could be seen peeking inside.

“I knew that Kai had you on his house, that he had ensnared you very fast, I sent the roses to help you”- He sighed, a hint of sadness in his brown eyes- “Kai is going to be pissed at me, but… two months have passed... Kai really did got attached to you”

“He made me forget Yeonjun hyung for two months?”- Beomgyu muttered shocked- “H- how…?”

“That’s because of many things… the bed, the water, the food he prepares and harvest”- Soobin explained- “but the strawberries… they tasted so sweet didn’t they?”

Beomgyu’s blood froze, he always thought about it but he never questioned him about it, and they were so delicious that he couldn’t contain himself… he always ate many of them, even when Kai wasn’t looking…

_Or maybe he pretended not to…_

The youngster closed his eyes and heard Soobin laugh:

“He’s not an idiot”

“He trapped me…”

“He did it to protect you… The spring’s domain is one of the safest places at the moment. Kai's very smart, but gets attached very easily and honestly…”- He looked at Beomgyu with a smile- “I can see why he did”

Beomgyu stayed silent, a hint of a blush appearing, the king chuckled:

“Unlike Kai, I’m not going to keep you here, that’s not my purpose”- He said- “What I seek is to prevent you from _him_ ”

“ _Him_... the winter”

Soobin nodded and continued:

“The one who has your hyung is the Snow King”- He said with a firm tone- “He was just like us, ruling the winter as a normal season, but he has always been so ambitious… and that’s what made him what he is now”

“And why does he have him? What does he want from him?”

“He's trying to lure you, because he wants you. He has fallen in love with you”- Soobin explained- “And Yeonjun hyung it’s the perfect bait”

**+x+**

Beomgyu’s room of the palace was similar to Kai’s, but bigger; there was a bed, and had a table, an enormous window that pointed to the forest and, Beomgyu noticed, it also had roses peeping in.

_Maybe to protect me…?_

There was also a closet, a desk with chairs and a small library with some books, a table with flowers as a décor, and a bathroom.

Beomgyu had slept like a rock, and Soobin woke him up to new clothes that looked so comfortable, yet appropriate for traveling; a red shirt with gold patterns and dark pants and shoes.

Beomgyu noticed that the king was dressed more royally and even had his crown on; silver colored with red diamonds on it. He looked powerful and that made the youngster stare at him involuntarily, even if Beomgyu would deny it if someone asked him directly, he found the king to be really handsome.

As he sat down on the table, eating the breakfast as the king kept telling him facts about the seasons:

“We manage to have human form as disguises; we can’t show anyone our true appearance, so we decide on how we want to look”

“The Snow King hides it”- Beomgyu said- “Its just a figure… a dark silhouette, I could only see his eyes”

“He does have one, his human form…”- The elder said as he went to the window, caressing the roots of the roses as he sprayed water to them- “You will not like it”

Beomgyu looked at the male with confusion, and Soobin looked at him:

“You’re going to need to be really smart, follow your instincts and believe in yourself”- He said as he sat down on the chair- “The Snow King is very manipulative, cruel and when he’s focused on something… or _someone_ he doesn’t stop until he gets it”

Beomgyu felt a shiver and breathed out, starting to feel tense, and he impulsively went to touch Yeonjun’s ring, caressing it tenderly.

Soobin looked at it and grinned, extending his hand to Beomgyu:

“May I?”

The youngster showed him his hand where the ring was, he touched it and his smile widened.

“Interesting”

“Yeonjun hyung gave it to me”- Beomgyu said with a soft smile, remembering the happiness he felt when he received it that day

“That ring…”- Soobin said, still smiling- “It might save your life”

“What do you mean?”

“You will see”- The king explained- “As you go on, you might be surprised on what you’re capable to do”

The youngster stared at Soobin confused and then looked back at the bed, Yeonjun’s coat lying on it next to a bag filled with food and water.

The king glanced at the youngster, sighing:

“Your injuries healed in less time than I expected”

“They weren’t critical”- Beomgyu said, earning a nod from Soobin.

“I’m going to be honest”- The king muttered- “I wish you would stay here”

Beomgyu looked at the elder boy attentively as he kept talking:

“I know what the Snow King wants from you, and you’re not going to like it”- The boy said, his expression showing worry and sadness- “Yeonjun’s life is in great danger. At this point, the Snow King is going to keep him alive until he has you, and...”

“He won't stop torturing him… just like I saw in the mirror”

“Yes”- He said sadly- “We’ve all seen how merciless he can be, he has destroyed entire cities, froze every single person on the spot, and we can’t stop him”

“But... you’re a king… King of the Summer”- Beomgyu looked at him with hope- “You can stop him”

“It’s not enough…the winter, at this point, is way stronger”- Soobin looked at Beomgyu, his expression showing defeat- “I’m the King of the Summer because I once hoped that I could defeat him…but his powers have reached chaotic levels that he almost killed me”

Beomgyu saw how Soobin’s hand went where his heart is, he wondered if he did it unconsciously, but he was sure that an injury was there… the Snow King had fatally wounded Soobin.

“The other seasons, when they saw what the Snow King almost did to me, they stepped down from their throne, yet I’m still here”

“You’re a brave king, skilled too”- Beomgyu said honestly- “You care for the others, I can see that”

Soobin smiled at him tenderly.

Beomgyu stood up, walking to where Yeonjun’s coat was and grabbed it, he felt the king behind him:

“You really do love him”

“I do”- He turned around- “I can’t spend any more time away from him, I need him”

The king eyed him, taking in the sincerity of his words, and then he walked toward the window:

“The ice-hounds only come out when the sun goes down at nighttime”- He explained- “You have 12 hours of sunlight; that’s enough time for you to reach the realm of the Prince of the Autumn”

Beomgyu listened attentively as he walked next to him, the King pointed to a region where the trees started to look yellow:

“There’s where you must go”

“Got it”

The king turned to see Beomgyu and then he took out a dagger, giving it to the youngster.

“Normally I wouldn’t give a weapon to a minor, but, at this point, you have more chances on succeeding than me”

Beomgyu took a step back, staring at the dagger with fearful eyes then to Soobin:

“I’m not a fighter”- He muttered nervously- “And much less a killer”

“This is Ice-reaper, a dagger made with the season's combined powers, and is not designed to kill”- Soobin explained- “It’s made to contain and control the Snow King’s powers as long as it’s stabbed on his heart”

The king took the dagger out, the blade shining with the light showing strange inscriptions in a foreign language:

“I know you can succeed where I failed”- The king said with confidence- “You’re stronger than you think; I feel that in another life, you might have been powerful enough to kill me”

“I don’t believe that”- Beomgyu shook his head- “Maybe with cuteness, but other than that, I can’t see myself killing you”

The king laughed at that, putting the dagger inside the sheath and giving it to him:

“I trust you, Choi Beomgyu”- He said, looking at him in the eyes- “Yeonjun hyung is dying, you need to stop the Snow King”

The youngster was about to protest again, but he ended up taking the dagger, inspecting it carefully; it wasn't heavy at all, and it had beautiful carvings on the handle.

Beomgyu stared again at the king, and grabbed the bag.

What the youngster couldn’t see, that the king noticed, was that the inscriptions of the blade started to glow at Beomgyu’s touch.

**+x+**

Yeonjun stood up from the bed; covering his mouth to not scream in pain and alert the dark silhouette again and attract him to his room.

He noticed that he could feel his legs again, and stood up carefully, walking quietly toward the door of the room; his feet were still in pain and each step he gave was like walking on needles but he managed.

He turned the handle opening the door quietly, tiptoeing out; not seeing anyone on the hallway.

The castle was enormous; white walls and floor, the icy environment making him shiver, the blue sweater he found on the room barely guarding him from the cold.

He walked around the place, until he reached stairs to the main door, he descended them quietly, and when he was about to grab the handle, he felt a sharp pain on his feet and legs.

He screamed and tumbled down, his hand still trying to reach the handle.

“This game of cat and mouse is quite fun actually” -Yeonjun heard the steps of the dark figure by his side, standing next to him. 

The boy's hand managed to hold the handle and tried to turn it around but then he felt the cold of his feet start to burn and Yeonjun cried in pain:

“Stop! Stop, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

He started to yell and reach for his feet, the pain was too great, is feet again were unresponsive no matter what he did… the silhouette was watching him with a hateful glint in his eyes.

“That's not enough”

Yeonjun watched how the figure raised his hand and the cold started to spread reaching his hands and shoulders; the boy starting to struggle to breathe.

“P-please… I’m-”

The boy cried looking at the silhouette; wincing in pain as he lay on the floor, face up, trying to take a breath.

The silhouette grabbed the hand of the boy, inspecting it, the frostbite starting to turn his fingers white.

“Maybe we should hurry our precious guest to come here fast huh?”- He got out a small knife, placing it on the boy’s index finger

Yeonjun’s eyes widened in terror, trying to pull his hand away, but it was futile: the hand was unresponsive due to the cold.

“No, no… please”

“Your fingers... or”- He stared at him with loathing, letting go of his hand and passing the knife on Yeonjun’s face, stopping on his left eye- “Maybe one of your eyes?”

The tears started to fall more rapidly, whimpering in fear as Yeonjun pleaded more:

“I- please, I won’t do it again, just- please don’t-“

“I should just take your tongue”- The figure stared at him, the knife going to his Yeonjun’s lips, as the boy whimpered in fear- "Or your lips, so you won't kiss him anymore"

“Maybe I will... I quite like to hear you scream”- The dark figure said in a venomous tone- “You will attract Beomgyu here… to me”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened as anger filled him:

“Don't you dare-!”

“As if I will listen to you, a useless human”-The figure laughed- “By the time he arrives, you will only live to see Beomgyu surrender to me”

“He won’t”

The figure leaned close to him, looking at the boys’ dark eyes:

“He will”- One of the figure’s hands went to the face-mask, removing it as the silhouette finally revealed himself to the boy.

Yeonjun’s eyes widened, feeling a chill run up his spine as he stared at the person in front of him;

It was like staring at the mirror; a replica of Yeonjun, but the difference was that the other had silver hair and piercing blue eyes.

“My name is Choi Daniel; I'm the Snow King”

And before Yeonjun could mutter a word, a hand covered his eyes; feeling cold in his eyes as the darkness welcomed him again.

_Beomgyu…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come and scream at my twitter and Curious Cat!  
> @cutesymochi


	5. Chorus #2 (Poco a poco)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!  
> Here we go again with another chapter! This is one where I had most fun with bc of Tae's character ahahahaha, also bc this is where the story took a different turn from what I had outlined at first... it always happens haahaahah and its not the first time, in my other fic "Hypnotic" happened too.  
> But i'm excited to see where this is heading now, I hope i don't disappoint you guys...  
> So, without further ado...  
> Enjoy this chapter!

 

An orange colored leaf fell to the ground.

Beomgyu stared at it and continued walking.

He noticed how the trees had few leaves; most of them had fallen already, and the youngster heard the crunches that came when Beomgyu stepped on them. He looked back, the boy could still see the forest where the King of Summer ruled, the green on the trees making a huge contrast on the forest where he was now.

He kept on walking forward, going inside the forest, and as he wandered for a good time, he started to feel that he was not alone.

As he heard the crunch of the leaves, a second before, he heard it again…and it was not because of him.

_Someone else was walking along with him_

He looked back; no one was there, yet he still felt uneasy, nervous… _watched._

_Crunch…crunch_

_Crunch… crunch (crunch)_

The blonde haired boy gasped and looked back again, to his sides, no one was there with him…

He started to sprint, and as he ran he saw shadows running behind him:

**_“You’re mine”_ **

He stifled a scream, tears and panic taking over him as he continued running. He heard a loud crack and fell, activating a hunting net trap that immediately captured and immobilized him.

As much as Beomgyu struggled and kicked, he couldn’t find any way to escape, he couldn’t even stand up, and the ropes were too heavy.

**“ _This is Ice-reaper…”_**

_The dagger…_

The boy struggled to get his bag, he needed to get the weapon out soon; he felt the sheath of the dagger but when he was about to get it out…he felt the barrel of a gun pressed at the back of his head.

Beomgyu turned his head, looking at a young man of dark hair and big dark eyes, dressed in hunting attire and a small crown.

“Autumn prince…”- Beomgyu muttered

The boy looked at Beomgyu, his dark eyes widening and the gun faltering as he visibly hesitated.

“Please… King Soobin said I had to come through your forest to reach the Snow King’s castle”- Beomgyu said as he looked at the boy.

“You- you’re-”- The prince stuttered, eyeing him- “No way…you’re crazy, you can’t go there, that’s suicide”

“I need to rescue Yeonjun”- The blonde haired boy insisted, struggling still, staring at the boy with pleading eyes- “Please…”

The prince felt something stir on his stomach when he looked at Beomgyu, he glanced at him firmly; The boy kept struggling, trying to break free from the trap, and the prince felt a desperate need to not let him go… to protect him…

“There’s no way I’m going to let you go there”- He said decisively- “I don’t know what Soobin promised you from me, but as a king, he’s supposed to protect the people from _him_ ”

Beomgyu looked at the prince with shock, shaking his head as he tried to reason with the boy, but the prince turned his back, signaling something, to which silhouettes, dressed as guards, descended from the trees toward him.

“Take him to the castle, do not let him go anywhere, he stays in the guest room”

“Yes, Prince Taehyun”

**+x+**

“Are you enjoying the dinner?”

Beomgyu looked at the dark haired boy who smiled tenderly at him, taking a sip from the glass of water.

“Yes”- He answered, trying to hide the desperation and shakiness on his voice- “Thank you”

Taehyun continued to eat, satisfied with the answer, after a while he said excited:

“Tomorrow, I can take you to explore the castle, there’s a lot to do here, you know? It’s so big”-He smiled at him- “And I’ll bring you hunting with me, it’s really fun and beneficial; the wolfhounds’ skin brings a lot of money to the kingdom”

“You hunt them?”

“Of course”- He said with a proud smile- “We are all hunters here, the best”

Beomgyu looked at him attentively for a second before going back to eat, noticing how the seasons were so different from each other; Kai was a prince that harvested fruits, created tonics and caretaker of animals; While Soobin ruled his kingdom maintaining the order the best he can… And now, Taehyun; hunters that sell the good that they manage to get from their get outs.

Everyone was so different, yet they all share one thing in common: they all looked to keep Beomgyu safe.

“I’d love to go with you, but I-“

“I get it, don’t worry”- Taehyun smiled, cutting Beomgyu midsentence

“You do?”- The youngster said surprised

“You wish to explore the castle, right?”- He let out a small laugh- “You can do it, you’re free to roam whenever you want”

Beomgyu shook his head rapidly as the desperation got the better of him:

“No, I want to leave”- He exclaimed, leaving the silverware- “I must go and save Yeonjun-”

“ _Enough_ _with that_ ”

The voice of the prince thundered through the walls, and a guard went close to Beomgyu, standing near him.

“Tell me”- Taehyun started, his eyes glaring at him with rage- “What’s your plan on how to go there? Did Kai or Soobin told you how to even reach _his_ castle? How cold, and deadly is to reach there?”

Beomgyu kept silent, staring at the prince with tearful eyes:

“Did those two ever told you how that monster keeps the corpses of his victims on his garden, completely frozen, as decoration?”- The prince exclaimed- “They didn’t, didn’t they?”

Beomgyu shook his head, as the prince took a bite of his food and threw his silverware on his plate in anger.

“I’ve been on that place, I’ve endured those victims”- He muttered- “I can’t let you- I- I’m doing this to keep you safe”

Beomgyu stayed silent, the voice of Kai resonating in his mind:

**_“I’m doing this for your safety”_ **

“I don’t need protection”- Beomgyu mumbled- “What I need is your help”

Taehyun stared at him, shock written in his face, as he heard Beomgyu speak:

“As you said: you’ve been there before… help me get there, help me save my boyfriend!”- The blonde haired boy begged- “Please…”

The prince’s eyes darkened, the anger boiling inside of him:

“So he… that guy…?”- He muttered- “ _He’s your boyfriend_? Is that why you want to go there?”

Beomgyu nodded, staring attentively at the prince, whose eyes continued to glare at the blonde haired boy:

“At this point, if he is your boyfriend, and _he’s_ got him… your boyfriend is dead”- Taehyun spat mercilessly- “Because the one the Snow King wants, is not him, is _you_ ”

Beomgyu stood up, the tears starting to fall:

“I don’t believe you”- He cried- “No way, I know he’s alive, I saw him with King Soobin on the pond”

“Antumbra is an old artifact, and they don’t even tell you when that event happened, Soobin lied to you”- He exclaimed- “It could have happened so long ago… you were Kai’s captive for two months!”

Beomgyu stayed silent, his lips quivering as the prince glared at him, as he also stood up:

“Accept it; your boyfriend is dead”

“He’s not”- Beomgyu challenged him- “You’re lying, I know what I saw; King Soobin didn’t lie, I believe him, because unlike you, he did helped me and you’re just a deceiver”

Taehyun’s eyes thundered in rage, slamming his hand on the table in fury; he glanced at the guard by Beomgyu’s side:

“Take him”- He ordered- “Don’t let him go, lock him on the prison”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened as the guard grabbed him, he struggled as he was forcefully dragged out of the dinning room as he screamed at the prince to let him go, pleading him as he continued to cry.

**+x+**

Taehyun walked toward his garden, a small pond with dead leaves glowed, the water showing the image of a male with sad eyes staring at him.

“ _Taehyun_ ”

“No, Soobin”- He glanced at the pond- “This is only _your_ fault”

“ _Don’t keep him there, let him go_ ”- Soobin insisted- “ _He’s our only chance_ ”

“You’re sending him to his death”- Taehyun snarled- “You’ve filled his head with lies, insisting that this… _boyfriend_ of his is alive when we both know he’s not”

“ _He’s alive, Taehyun, I would never lie to him_ ”- Soobin exclaimed, the anger starting to show on his voice- “ _Yeonjun is alive, and you’re only extending his suffering and wasting Beomgyu’s time with your childishness, you’ve made him loose three days already_ ”

“I’m doing this because I want him to be safe“

“ _You’re only making things worse, just like Kai did_ ”- Soobin spat hatefully- _“The only thing you will cause is for him to hate you forever_ ”

“Then so be it”- The boy closed his eyes, accepting that crude reality- “If that’s my punishment for him to stay alive, I’m okay with that. As long as he’s here, Beomgyu won’t fall on _his_ hands”

“ _Tae, you’re making him suffer_ ”- The King said with a warning tone in his voice- “ _Just tell me this; how are you better than the Snow King?_ ”

Taehyun’s eyes glared at the elder, his expression showing the anger about to explode at any minute:

“ _What you are causing on Beomgyu is no better than him dying by his hand; if the Snow King kills him, then at least he will die trying to save the one he loves_ ”- Soobin explained, looking at the boy’s reaction- “ _But if you keep him like this, he will die of sadness, the excruciating pain of not being able to save him, the desperation is going to kill him and you will watch that unfold before you… and it will weight you, because its going to be **your fault**_ ”

Taehyun let out a cry in anger as he hit the water with his hand, as if he wanted to slap Soobin on real time.

“Shut up!”

“ _Let him go, Taehyun”_

“No! Soobin, I won’t!”

“ _Taehyun, please_ ”

Taehyun kneeled in front of the pond, covering his mouth with his hand as he cried in rage, and another powerful emotion he was feeling...

“I can’t… I can’t do it, Soobin”

 _“Tae…_ ”- The king pleaded- “ _Don’t do this to him”_

“I can’t let him leave! I won’t! -The prince screamed as he started to tear up- “He won’t step out of this palace if he want to go there, I won’t let him, I won’t even let him see the sunlight again if it means he will be safe”

“ _Kang Taehyun”_ \- The King’s said with an enraged tone- “ ** _Let him go_** ”

“No!”

“ ** _Taehyun_** ”

“I love him, Soobin!”

The King looked at the smaller boy with surprise, the prince looking at him with tearful eyes:

“I have fallen for him, ever since he first arrived with Kai, I’ve watched him”- The dark haired boy confessed, as the King’s eyes widened- “I love him, and I can’t ignore this… I can’t let him die”

“ _How is this love for you? How can you love him when you’ve made him your prisoner? Taehyun…_ ”- Soobin said with a gentle tone- “ _This is not love_ ”

He composed himself, looking at Soobin with firmness:

“I love Beomgyu, and I’m protecting him, that’s my love for him”- Taehyun said- “And that’s why I can’t let him go. I won’t let the Snow King have him, not if I can protect him”

“ _Taehyun, please don’t do this!_ ”

“I’m sorry, Soobin”

He turned around, walking away, hearing the urgent voice of the King of Summer still calling him.

**+x+**

Beomgyu looked over the small window, gazing at the snowy mountains on the distance, a tear escaping from his eyes as he sat down on the small bed, hugging his legs, resting his forehead.

He heard the door open and he ignored the newcomer, thinking it was the guard bringing him his food and water, but…

“Have dinner with me”

Beomgyu looked up, seeing the prince with a firm expression, yet his voice betrayed his concern.

“No”

“Please”- Taehyun insisted- “I- please, Beomgyu”

“I don’t want to eat with you, I won’t eat with the one that has me here like a prisoner”- Beomgyu spat, standing up as the anger flooded him- “The one that is prolonging the torture on my boyfriend when I could save him”

“Or the one that is keeping you alive, safe from the torture”

Beomgyu shook his head, plopping himself on the bed again, not looking at Taehyun.

“Please understand why I’m doing this”- He tried again- “I know _him_ , I’ve seen his cruelty. Soobin… he tried to kill the Snow King when Soobin fought him”

Beomgyu gazed at Taehyun, listening to him, and he continued:

“That day, Kai and I had just been crowned and received full access to our powers; both of us joined forces with Soobin to confront the Snow King. But he was so strong at that point; we couldn’t even make him flinch”- The dark haired boy was lost in his memory- “He submitted Soobin and- and managed somehow to stab him near his heart, with Ice-reaper; the dagger that was designed to defeat _him_ ”

Beomgyu felt a chill, remembering how Soobin’s hand went to his heart that day…

_King Soobin…_

“The Snow King is insanely powerful, that’s why-“

“I need to go”- Beomgyu cut him off- “That’s why I should go, so I can rescue Yeonjun hyung and defeat the Snow King”

Taehyun shook his head in exasperation:

“No!”

“Yes! King Soobin trusts me, why can not you do it?”

Taehyun goes toward the blonde haired boy and grabs his shoulders, staring at him:

“Its not that I don’t trust you, Beomgyu”- He says with frustration- “I don’t trust _him_ , that monster wants you, he’s mad for you, he _wants_ you. And your boyfriend, having him there with _him_ is just making you walk there to his trap; you’re doing exactly what he wants, and you, like Soobin, can’t seem to see that”

Beomgyu stays silent, as Taehyun sighs:

“I just need you to understand that”

“So your brilliant plan then is to keep me here in this prison forever, while my boyfriend just stays there being tortured by that thing?”

“Your boyfriend-“

“Is not dead”- He points at the window- “He’s there, being tortured, screaming for help, with that demonic entity doing things to him, while you are keeping his only chance of rescue locked down here”

Taehyun glares at him, the anger boiling inside of him once again:

“Kai should have kept you longer”

“Kai understood that I had to go”- The elder spat- “And he, unlike you, is way more mature than you and he trusts me”

“You have _no idea_ on how deluded Kai, and even Soobin, are… they don’t know how much of a monster the Snow King is”

“Not as deluded as you”- Beomgyu exclaimed venomously- “You’re a prince who is keeping prisoner someone that seeks help but also want to wants to support you”

Taehyun’s eyes glinted with wrath as he grabs Beomgyu’s arm, yanking him off from the bed and forcing him close to his face:

“You don’t understand, you never will…”- Taehyun moved his shirt, discovering a bit of his shoulder, there was a nasty white mark on his skin that it went from his shoulder to down his back. Beomgyu could see that the frostbite had spread from the injuries, killing most of the prince’s skin- “This is what he is, what he can do, what he will do to you… and I don’t want that to happen, why can’t you see that?”

Beomgyu stayed quiet, his expression firm and determined, switching between the injury and Taehyun’s eyes.

“You can’t keep me here forever”

“I will if I must”- The prince whispered, his face closer to the elder’s- “You can’t leave, I won’t let you”

“Prince Taehyun…”- Beomgyu pleaded- “I can save him, he’s alive”

“Your boyfriend…”

Taehyun’s eyes stared at Beomgyu’s lips for a second, the grip of the elder’s arm tightening for a bit and pulling him even close, his mind was clouded:

_Tempting…_

But the moment he looked at Beomgyu again, he saw that he had started to tear up again, and seeing the elder crying it caused him great pain and a nasty feeling on his chest, yet…

“You…-“ -Beomgyu looked at him, as Taehyun continued to stare at his eyes- “will never leave me”

The blonde haired boy closed his eyes and lowered his head as the prince let him go and exited the prison; leaving Beomgyu on the floor crying in despair as the guards locked the door and Taehyun walked away.

**+x+**

Beomgyu opened his eyes and lifted his head; he had heard a strange noise, he was sure of it.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around, standing up.

_Chirp…_

_Scratch…_

He went close to the wall, placing his hands on the rocks, then his ear:

_Chirp… chirp…_

_Scratch…_

He breathed rapidly; there was something, or someone on the other side of the wall… he looked around for anything to help him bring down the bricks off the wall and he spotted on the table the silverware of his meal; a spoon and a fork…

Beomgyu grabbed them and started to rapidly take the dirt off, he dug down fast and tried to do it as quietly as possible, praying that the prince, the guards or anyone didn’t came down to see him.

As time went by, he succeeded on doing a lot of progress, and Beomgyu accomplished to bring down a couple of bricks, managing to do a hole on the wall.

He looked over it, seeing the snowy mountains and then… a green colored eye stared back at him.

_Chirp… chirp…_

Beomgyu stared at it; it was a gigantic beautiful bird with blue and green feathers, like a phoenix, but Beomgyu couldn’t tell what specie it was. The beak of the bird started to peck at the wall with full force, helping Beomgyu to bring down the wall. The boy also resumed to work on his side, his objective was clear on his mind: if he managed to weak the support of the bricks, then the bird will have a chance to break the wall fast.

After a while, Beomgyu saw how the bricks started to fall down, they were loose enough to tear them down. The bird felt this too, so when he smashed them one last time, it made a hole on the wall big enough for Beomgyu to cross over if he bent down.

He smiled and crouched, rapidly started to go to the other side, but he felt a strong grip on his ankle and someone pulling him back.

“No!”- Beomgyu screamed, as he looked at the prince, whose eyes glinted with tears of sincere rage. He glared at the bird as he roared a name:

“ _Huening Kai…_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come and say hi!  
> Twitter and curious cat: @cutesymochi


	6. Breakdown (Elegy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!!!  
> First of all, I'm so sorry for the whole delay for this chapter! It had been such tiring times and I had this chapter written but i wanted to edit it the best i could, I'm still sure there are grammar mistakes but... oh well, I couldn't keep you all waiting.  
> Second: I'm also sorry that Its such a short chapter, its the build up of what's coming next! So trust me on this one :D  
> Keep the comments coming, I really appreciate them! I love you all!  
> So, without further ado!  
> Enjoy this chapter!

  

“Prince Taehyun-”

“You want to die so badly?”- The prince spat angrily as he glanced at him- “You wish to suffer? To save someone who is already dead?”

The prince glares at the boy as he hears the bird getting upset, trying to get inside the chamber.

"I can't let you do this, no more!"

The guards rapidly entered the cell, and Taehyun motioned them to Beomgyu, signaling them to take him away.

“Don’t… no, please”

Beomgyu stood up rapidly, running toward the hole in the wall, but the guards grabbed him before he could even reach it.

“Prince Taehyun! Don’t!”- He begged, the desperation taking over him, thrashing and trying to break free from the guard’s grasps- “I need to go, please!”

“I’m trying so hard to protect you …”- The prince muttered, walking toward Beomgyu, his voice tainted with anger yet there was also a sad tone to it- “To see you safe, to see your smile-“

Taehyun caressed Beomgyu’s cheek, cleaning his tears with his thumb. The elder noticed how the prince had started to tear up too:

“Please don’t make this difficult“- He said, getting close to the elder’s face- “Stay here… with me”

“No”

Taehyun's expression hardened, the rage overcoming him. He took some steps back and pulled out from the pocket of his coat Ice-reaper. Beomgyu’s eyes widened, his bag…

“I should show you how much you will suffer with him”- He said in a low threatening voice- “After all, his powers are not that different from mine”

The prince pulled the dagger out of his sheath and pointed it to the elder’s throat, as the blonde haired boy tried not to move, the bird’s cries got even more desperate, Kai was sensing the deep trouble he was in.

He felt a small sting of pain erupting from his throat as the dagger cut him slightly and he whimpered in fear.

“Or…”

The elder looked at the prince, whose eyes widened in realization, and then took a step back, glancing at the guards. Before Beomgyu noticed, he was being pushed toward the bed laying face up, as the guards held him in place. He screamed pleas and thrashed, the tears now falling uncontrollably.

The prince placed the dagger to the elder’s chest, where the heart is located:

“I should have done this sooner, the moment I realized... that Yeonjun is the problem here”- He said with a strange yellowish color in his eyes- “So... I’ll make your feelings for him just… _rot_ ”

The dagger started emanating a dark orange glow, the blade of the dagger turning that same color, the power of the prince transforming into poison to be injected into Beomgyu’s heart.

Beomgyu screamed at the prince, panic and terror overwhelming him but Taehyun wouldn’t listen, the maniacal expression on his face making the elder feel extremely scared:

“Don’t do it, don’t do this, please, _please! **Stop!**_ ”

Taehyun was about to stab Beomgyu's heart when he felt something wrap his wrists. The prince looked down, seeing vines of roses holding him firmly; He growled in rage, the guards also realizing that the vines were also holding them in place.

“ _Soobin…_ ”- He snarled in a glacial tone, trying to break free- “Let me go… I must do this… _I must destroy his feelings_ ”

The prince was suddenly yanked down to the floor, the dagger falling from his hand; the roots of the roses entwining and immobilizing him as Taehyun screamed in anger, trying to break the roots and stand up yet no avail... the roses were holding him steady.

Beomgyu rapidly stood up, he grabbed the dagger and ran away toward the hole in the wall, the bird’s nervous cries still calling him.

When Beomgyu managed to reach the other side, he glanced at the animal; his green eyes looked at him with relief.

“Prince Kai…”- The blonde haired boy muttered, as he caressed the bird carefully.

The animal chirped happily and he lay down so the elder could climb him up. When Beomgyu did, he heard the screams of Taehyun getting closer:

“ _Kai… Beomgyu…_ ”

The elder looked back, staring at the hole. He immediately tapped the bird’s neck:

“Let’s go!”-He urged- “The prince-“

The bird flapped his wings and took off, leaving the castle behind.

Beomgyu looked back, seeing the small silhouette of Taehyun coming out and calling for him.

As they flew for a good while, he noticed the rapid change in the weather, intense cold wrapping him up, sensing that Kai was now descending toward the lake that separated the realm of Autumn and Winter.

**+** **x** **+**

The moment Beomgyu touched ground again, he saw a group people in front of him, yet he couldn’t see them as he felt himself tumble down, feeling extremely mentally tired.

“Beomgyu”

He looked up and saw King Soobin holding a rose as the guards walked behind him, his expression in his face showing real happiness to see him again.

The king helped Beomgyu up and immediately embraced him:

“I’m so sorry, I’m sorry…”

“King Soobin-“

“Tae- I didn’t knew he would do this”- He looked at Beomgyu, deep regret printed in his eyes- “The Snow King’s powers and Taehyun’s are so similar… he must have done something, and I-”

“Soobin, no one knew Taehyun would fall for him”

The king and Beomgyu turned around, seeing Kai wiping off some green feathers from his arms and hair. He smiled at Beomgyu:

“Good thing we came to your rescue just in time”

“Thank you, prince Kai”

“It’s the least I could do after what I did to you”- The youngster said ashamed

“Two months, Kai”- Soobin mumbled angrily

“I already said I was sorry, ok?”- He replied offended- “He’s just so-“

Kai looked at the blonde haired boy and then grunted in frustration, blushing and muttering:

“I just wanted to spend more time with him”

Beomgyu smiled and went to Kai, grabbing his hand:

“We will eat apple pie soon, I promise”

The youngster nodded, excitement printed in his face as his blush deepened for a bit:

“With Yeonjun hyung”- He said with a bright smile.

“Yes, with him”

Soobin watched the scene unfold before him, tenderness written in his face, he was about to join the conversation when he saw a flash at the corner of his eyes, to which he swung rapidly his sword and something fell on the ground: a couple of bullets, all now cut in two.

Beomgyu stood up; worry on his face as Kai pushed him behind him.

He saw guards coming out of the forest going toward them, prince Taehyun walking among them, holding guns on both hands; one of them seemed normal, while the other had golden inscriptions on it...

The blonde haired boy locked eyes with him; feeling chills as the yellow eyes, filled with rage, pierced through him, he hid more behind Kai.

“Soobin, hand Beomgyu over, _now_ ”

“I discussed this with you, Taehyun, and you didn’t listen”- The king said firmly- “You can’t keep him locked down forever, he’s a human, he needs to go there and _he doesn’t love you_ ”

Beomgyu’s blood froze as he looked at Taehyun in shock; the prince of Autumn glaring daggers at Soobin, pointing now at him his normal gun and fired.

Soobin swung his sword, evading the bullets as he slashed some of them, standing with grace and extending his arm that held the sword… his usual brown eyes now glowing red.

“Taehyun”- He warned- “Don’t test me, you’ve done enough”

“The one who is testing me right now… _is you_ ”

Soobin swung his sword and a giant wave of fire appeared, swallowing most of the guards of Autumn’s soldiers, who screamed in pain, while Taehyun unleashed an air blast that deflected the fire… yet, Beomgyu noticed, the fire managed to hurt his left hand, and the prince was in pain because of that.

“Taehyun, please”- Kai took a step forward- “We must not fight right now, we are not the enemy”

The Prince of the Autumn looked at him, his yellow eyes thundered with hatred as he screamed:

“Kai…you _**traitor**_!”- Taehyun pointed the golden gun at him and fired it:

A wave of strong air going fast to hit them; Kai rapidly unveiled his wings and covered himself -making sure also that Beomgyu was covered too- and when the wave hit them, Kai redirected it toward the prince of Autumn; who dodged it.

“Traitor… you’re a traitor,  ** _filthy traitor!_** Kai… I trusted you”- He shrieked as he fired more air waves from his gun- “You said we would protect him! You said we wouldn’t let him leave!”

“We were wrong, Taehyun!”- Kai tried to reason as he shielded himself- “Beomgyu needs our help, we can’t protect him”

“You’re _wrong! You're a filthy liar_ ”

The prince of the Spring was taken aback, as he locked eyes with the prince of the Autumn.

“Tae-“

“Shut up! _Shut up, Kai, you are the worst, a backstabber, a traitor of the worst **!**_ ”

The airwave that hit him had such force that Kai’s wings couldn’t protect him; he was knocked down, taking Beomgyu with him, to the ground.

Beomgyu saw some small white frostbites appearing on him, looking with terror at Soobin, who glared at Taehyun:

“Taehyun, as the king, I order you to stop this”

The prince laughed really hard, a condensending smirk appearing on his lips.

“Oh yes, you’re the King… of _Summer_ , not _Autumn_ ”- He said in a mocking tone- “In this place, things are done the way I _want_ ”

He raised the golden gun again, pointing it at Beomgyu:

“And if I want him… then I’m going to have him”- He smirked- “Either you want it, or not”

And with that, he fired his gun.

Yet Beomgyu never felt the bullet, or whatever Taehyun fired, because at that moment some walls of ice appeared, a black figure in between them, looking at Taehyun with his icy blue eyes that sparked nothing but pure rage.

“Dan-"- Taehyun mumbled, his eyes widening in fear

“Beomgyu”- The voice of the Snow King mumbled, as he made the walls break, and tons of ice fragments to be directed to stab the Prince of Autumn and the guards- “Is **_mine_** , Kang Taehyun”

Soobin swung his sword rapidly, a blast of fire coming out and melting the ice fragments of the Snow King before he could command them to attack Taehyun.

The dark figure turned back, locking eyes with the King of the Summer:

“Choi Soobin”- His blue eyes sneered- “How’s the stab?”

“Stop it”- The King of Summer warned.

“Then don’t meddle in **_my business_** ”- He screamed, as he motioned with his hand and a powerful freezing cold air erupted, sending everyone flying away.

Beomgyu landed on the lake, the cold water hitting him like small needles; he screamed inside of the water and managed to get out with some struggle and coughed. He stood up and saw no one around him.

Kai and Soobin were nowhere to be seen, same as Taehyun.

But...

A pair of arms surrounded him, one hand covering his mouth and the other holding him, a voice on his ear causing him to freeze in horror:

“ ** _My Beomgyu_** ”

The blonde haired boy felt something cold on his body, and he fell unconscious.


	7. Coda- (Trill)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!   
> So, chapter 7! Sorry for the lateness, the chapters are coming out quite slow due to some school and personal stuff going on right now, but don't worry, the story is quite advanced on the document so the next chapter should be up soon too.  
> So in this chapter... a character that is favorite of some people finally appears XD the Snow King Choi Daniel... and Beomgyu is in his hands now! Whats going to happen? keep reading :D  
> It's nice to hear the good reception that the story is getting! I'm so happy to hear your theories and everything, keep the comments coming!  
> So, without further ado, enjoy the chapter!

 

Beomgyu opened his eyes suddenly; finding himself lying in a couch, he looked around, noticing that he was in a living room… but it wasn’t as cozy like the one of the Prince of the Autumn’s castle, or warmer and friendly like the one at the King of the Summer’s palace…

No…

This whole place was different, because it gave off a sinister vibe and the environment was freezing cold that Beomgyu started to tremble.

The youngster was in a bad place… a really _bad_ place…

The Snow King’s castle… _he_ had caught Beomgyu.

He rapidly stood up and started to walk fast around the castle, trying not to do any noise and looking at every single corner, the fear and stress invading him little by little.

His hand automatically going to his pocket, taking out the dagger and holding it tightly, ready to attack anyone that approached him.

“ _Beomgyu_ ”

He looked back, shakily breathing, and then continued walking; getting the feeling of being watched every single step he made… so he started running until he arrived at a large hallway and heard someone calling him again:

“Beomgyu…”

“Yeonjun?”

He started to run toward the first door, trying to get in, yet it was locked, the next one was empty, and then the other one was locked, he heard steps, as if someone was running on the hallway and the youngster finally saw him.

“Yeonjun!”

“Beomgyu!”

The youngster ran toward the elder, enveloping him in a tight hug as he cried of happiness, he heard the other laughing, the joy clearly displaying on his expression.

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”- The blonde haired boy asked as he broke the hug to inspect him.

“I’m fine”- He smiled, holding Beomgyu’s hands firmly- “I swear”

“But I saw you… you were- and he-“

“Shhh”- The elder hugged him again- “It was all planned to bring you here with me”

“We need to get out of here before he comes back”- The youngster said urgently, looking at him- “I haven’t seen him, but he might be back soon”

The elder nodded and caressed Beomgyu’s face, drawing him closer, their forehead’s almost touching.

“Yes, he might”- He whispered

He stared at the blonde haired boy, the intense look on his eyes unnerving the youngster, trying to break the grip:

“Hyung, we should-”

“I’ve waited for this…for _you_ ”

“Hyung… What are you-?”

Beomgyu pulled his hand, trying to break free from the tight grasp, but the elder was so strong, he wasn’t even having a hard time.

“Come here…“- He yanked Beomgyu close to him, caressing the youngster’s face, and that’s when Beomgyu saw them: the eyes…

_Those icy blue eyes…_

_That’s not his Yeonjun._

“Get away from me!”- Beomgyu rapidly stepped away, his back hitting the wall and taking out the dagger, pointing it at the elder who looked at the youngster; drawing a smirk.

“ _My Beomgyu_ ”

The voice send him chills, his stomach churned, it send his mind back on that night where he dreamed of him the first time, the cold… those eyes… and then, his Yeonjun hyung…

Beomgyu stared at him, tears threatening to fall, as he turned around and ran away, his mind racing as he sped up.

He looked just like him… _why_ did he look just like him? His Yeonjun hyung…Soobin’s voice came to his mind:

**“ _We decide on how we want to look”_**

He stopped running; he was at another long hallway, this one felt really cold, even colder than the other one he was at…

He rapidly pressed his ear to the door, hearing a loud _thud_ and a raspy voice calling him:

“Gyu…”

He opened the door and he saw a body on the floor, his legs completely frozen and the skin a purple-ish tone, the youngster recognized him immediately:

“Junnie!”

He rapidly sprawled on the floor next to his hyung, trying to move him face up.

“G- gyu…”- The elder whispered in a raspy voice.

“Don’t speak, I- I’m going to get you out-“

“Gyu, leave- B- Beom- g- gyu”- He stuttered, as the youngster finally managed to get the elder to lay face up.

Beomgyu’s blood froze in horror at what he saw:

Yeonjun’s eyes…

They were frozen…the Snow King had blinded his eyes…

“Be- Beomgyu…I-”- The elder sobbed, and as he was about to say something, the air inside the room started to feel incredibly cold, way colder than it already was.

“No- please, _no, no, no, no, no, please!_ ”- Yeonjun cried in desperation, as his grip on the youngster’s hand tightened… or tried to, pushing him- “Be- Beomgyu, run, get out, s-save y-yourself-“

A hand snaked around the youngster and grabbed his throat, while the other grabbed his arm

“Found you~”- The voice of the Snow King on his ear in a playful yet sinister whisper.

The grip on the arm of the youngster tightened, forcing him to drop the dagger, the grasp was so strong that the King was hurting him, and it made Beomgyu whimper in pain until he released the weapon, making a loud sound on the floor.

“You’re good at the cat and mouse game, baby”- the King’s said impressed, his eyes then pointed at Yeonjun- “He bored me out so quickly… good thing you’re here now”

“ _Don’t_ ”- Yeonjun growled, trying to crawl toward them- “t-touch him, D-Daniel”

The King laughed, the grip on the throat tightening, making Beomgyu close his eyes and struggled, trying to free himself.

“I’ve got him now”- He buried his face in the youngster’s neck, slightly loosened the grip- “He’ll be here with me forever”

Beomgyu then acted fast; he rapidly grabbed the dagger, turned around and pointed it at the King, who was looking at him surprised. The youngster shielded Yeonjun from the other, expecting every single attack, but what he didn’t counted for was the shriek that came out from the elder.

Beomgyu turned around in horror, and his eyes widened; he saw something white appearing on his hyung’s legs, spreading little by little, climbing from his feet; to his legs toward his waist…the worry filled up the youngster’s expression as the tears started to stream down his face, the dagger in his hand faltering:

“No… stop! Please don’t hurt him”

“No can’t do, love”- He said- “He’s got to die anyway, and he _will_ ”

“Please don’t, _please_ ”- He raised his hands, surrendering

The King’s smirk widened, an evil glint in those blue eyes:

“Then…” -He said as he went close to him- “Surrender to me”

Beomgyu closed his eyes, turning his head to Yeonjun, seeing the one he loved in immense pain; his eyes with that ice covering them, the frostbite attacking his skin…

“Hyung…”- He muttered, the tears streaming uncontrollably.

“Gyu, _don’t…_ ”

He let out another ear-piercing scream, as the ice started to spread fast, the youngster looking at the King, who glared at Yeonjun with hate.

“Stop! _Stop! Enough!_ ”- Beomgyu screamed in terror- “ _I’ll do it!_ ”

The King lowered his hand, with that Yeonjun stopped yelling, as the elder panted and he tried to compose himself.

“I’ll surrender”- The youngster looked at the King- “Just please stop hurting him”

The Snow King looked firmly at the youngster and extended his hand, to which the blonde haired boy took trembling.

“Beomie- no, _no… **no!**_ ”- Yeonjun shrieked, as he continued to crawl slowly as the ice spreading gradually on his body decreased his strength.

Daniel pulled Beomgyu closer, the blue eyes staring intently at him, praising him with his stare; while Beomgyu looked at him with fear, sadness and hurt.

The Snow King drew his face close and kissed Beomgyu, the youngster shuddering due to the cold lips. The King’s hand went to the nape of the boy demanding his lips and claiming them, feeling needy for more.

Beomgyu teared up; he wanted to run, scream, just leave this place with his hyung… but he just gave in, fearing that if he tried to pull away the other would hurt Yeonjun more.

He let the King take the lead, attack him, and it wasn’t until he felt something cold on his head and whole body that he started to push him away, gasping and tumbling down as he embraced himself, trying to stop the cold feeling that came especially where the ring Yeonjun gave him was.

But…

_Junnie-_

Beomgyu looked at the King, preparing any excuse thinking that he would hurt Yeonjun again, but he noticed that Choi Daniel was staring at him in awe.

“My Beomgyu… my love… you look wonderful”

The youngster got chills… what had happened? What-? Why was the Snow King…? Why-?

He looked down, noticing his clothes… they were different… when-? Did that cold sensation transformed his clothing?

Daniel grabbed Beomgyu’s arm and pulled him toward the mirror of the room, stopping midway to glance at Yeonjun, the cruelty immediately printing on his expression:

“Let’s also let _him_ look at you, shall we, love?”

“ _Please…_ ”- Beomgyu pleaded, as he tried to reason and loose his grip, but the other wasn’t listening: the hate and need to hurt Yeonjun taking over his mind.

The Snow King motioned with his hand and the ice in Yeonjun’s eyes faded… the eyes recovering their sight… and the moment he laid his eyes on Beomgyu…

The elder’s heart shattered in millions of pieces.

Beomgyu was wearing now black pants and a white shirt, king-styled with blue laces forming snow figures, and his hair was a silver color, adorning with a small crown.

Daniel’s smirk widened, Cheshire-style, watching Yeonjun’s eyes tearing up as he looked at the youngster, who was also crying his heart out.

“Hyung-“- Beomgyu took a step toward the elder, but the Snow King pulled him back by his side, as Daniel sneered:

“What did I told you?”- He spat with poison in his voice, pretending to think- “Oh yeah… that you would live until you saw your dear Beomgyu surrender to me… _well_ ”

Yeonjun looked at the King in defeat, the tears still falling down, as the King walked toward him, summoning an icicle that didn’t go unnoticed by Beomgyu, who immediately ran and hugged his hyung, protecting him.

“Stop! No!”- He looked at Daniel, whose eyes immediately thundered- “Please… don’t hurt him, I’m yours now, I- I’m yours… please…”

The Snow King stopped walking, staring at both Beomgyu and Yeonjun, thinking his next move… or pretending to, because he smirked as he played with the icicle, pointing it first at the elder, then to Beomgyu… kneeling down as he placed the sharp edge on the youngster’s neck.

“I-I’ll do whatever you ask me to-”

“Oh no, that’s a guarantee, either if he lives or dies, you’ll do whatever I ask of you”- He laughed- “You’re mine now”

Yeonjun surrounded his arms around Beomgyu while glaring at the King:

“Oh…?”- The blue eyed man smirked- “Is that how it is then?”

Yeonjun continued to stare, preparing himself for the pain… until he heard Beomgyu’s scream.

The elder looked at him scared, the pain in the youngster’s face causing him to feel desperation, the ice starting to appear on his legs.

“Move away”- Daniel glared at Yeonjun- “or I’ll make it worse for him”

Yeonjun crawled back as fast as he could, Beomgyu lying on the floor as he kept yelling in pain, until he calmed down and the frostbite on his legs disappeared.

The youngster breathed shakily, unable to stand up; realizing that the ice might be gone, but the legs were now numb… he felt someone kneeling beside him, and caressed his now silver locks.

The boy trembled; he was now at the mercy of this mad King, and there was no way to escape, not with him in this state, and Yeonjun still had his legs and waist completely frozen.

The King stood up, carrying Beomgyu bridal style and starting to walk away toward the door, turning to look at the elder with triumph, and then exiting the room.

Yeonjun stared at the door enraged, closing his eyes and opening them filled with tears. Feeling desperation to go and beat the living shit of the King, rescue his boyfriend and leave the place… but it seemed impossible.

He looked away from the door, and that’s when Yeonjun saw it…

The glow.

The dagger that Beomgyu was holding and that Daniel forced him to drop it.

He crawled and took it, getting a warm and comforting feeling on his body, as he kept it on the pocket of the pants.

 

**+x+**

Beomgyu looked at the mirror, seeing himself as some drops of tears fell from his eyes, who at this point were red from crying so much.

He was alone now in a big room, the King’s chambers he supposed, and unlike Soobin’s place, Daniel’s was a dark blue, the windows all closed, and there was no books or any form of entertainment.

He sighed as he cleaned his tears, he grabbed a lock from his silver hair and closed his eyes as he sobbed, remembering the look on Yeonjun’s face… the youngster couldn’t blame him… he could still feel the lips of the King claiming him.

He looked again in the mirror, grabbing the small crown and throwing it to the wall, screaming in rage and pain.

_We need to leave…_

_We’re going to die here…_

And he stood up, walking toward the door, which was open; he looked around, not seeing anyone on the hallway, so he just walked out. Trotting toward the room where Yeonjun was, but stopped abruptly when he saw a window, seeing that the King was at the garden and it was almost nighttime.

The King was walking around with some wolfhounds, and he seemed pretty entertained, so Beomgyu had time, and he had to make the best of it.

The youngster turned around and started to run, not noticing that the King was now looking at the window with a menacing glare.

Beomgyu ran, trying some doors until he found the long and really cold hallway, going toward the door of the room with big doors. He forced it open by using the cold to his advantage (good thing that the cold can spoil things) and entered, seeing Yeonjun on the bed… his legs still frozen, but not like before…

“Gyu-“

“Junnie”

The youngster went to him, and grabbed his arm, the elder looking at him surprised:

“Let’s go, come on”- He hurried, as the youngster swung the arm of the elder around and helped him up, Yeonjun grunting in pain because of his numb legs.

“Hold on”- He held him, the feet of the elder moving a bit but causing him great pain- “Can you do this?”

The elder nodded firmly, teary eyes, and Beomgyu started to walk out. Both reaching the hallways and Yeonjun signaling him the entrance in a quietly matter, when both reached the handle and it turned around, the cold air hitting them, and they immediately started to walk fast, crossing the garden.

“Hold on hyung”- Beomgyu said, trying to adjust the grip on the elder.

Yeonjun looked in front and he immediately covered the youngster’s eyes:

“Hyung, I can’t se-“

“Just keep walking forward, trust me”

“Why? Hyung, what’s going on?”

“Trust hyung, Beomie… Walk forward”

Yeonjun glanced by his sides, also at some point refusing to look more at the frozen corpses adorning the gardens.

“Junnie?”

“Just a little more”- His voice trembled, and Beomgyu noticed it, but he decided not to question it.

When the couple reached the forest, the elder uncovered Beomgyu’s eyes, and when the youngster tried to look back, Yeonjun stopped him by grabbing tenderly his chin:

“No, just look at me”- He muttered- “Look in front”

Beomgyu nodded, and both continued forward, the youngster encouraged the elder, as he sometimes moaned in pain; but amazingly, the silver-haired boy noticed how his hyung had a determined face. He wanted this as much as Beomgyu; they needed to escape.

When they reached the lake, Beomgyu noticed how it was frozen, the remnants of the fight still visible.

Beomgyu placed a foot on the ice, it supported him, so he signaled Yeonjun to follow him, whom he did, and in no time both boys were crossing it.

A strong cold wind hit the couple’s face and Beomgyu immediately looked back, seeing with horror the Snow King standing on the shore, staring at them with an unreadable expression.

“Yeonjun!”

The elder looked at Beomgyu, then at the Snow King, his expression showing then terror and urgency:

“Let’s go fast, come on!”

They started to crawl rapidly, Beomgyu turning back to watch Daniel, who suddenly placed his hand on the icy surface, and in no time, the youngster heard a loud crack. He looked at the surface where he was, feeling the fractures on the ice, and before he could yell at Yeonjun, it broke down, the coldness of the water hitting his skin like a million of needles, the coldness of the water causing him to release a gulp of air, he tried to swim upwards but the hole where he had fallen was closed already. He pounded his fists on the ice but not to avail, the desperation starting to invade him.

On the surface, the Snow King started to walk toward Yeonjun, who was screaming Beomgyu’s name, trying to break the ice with the dagger, which was glowing, but as soon as he saw the other approaching, he rapidly pointed the weapon to him: his arms and legs trembling.

Daniel halted, seeing Yeonjun with the glowing dagger, noticing that his legs were unfrozen, he glared at him with hate as the King made a motion with his hand.

A gigantic wave of snow formed on the spot, and Yeonjun was thrown on the other side of the river, on a field of dead leaves, and he passed out, the darkness engulfing him.

**+x+**

Beomgyu took a big gulp of air and crawled out of the water, kneeling down as he tried to recover himself and run, well… that was his plan until he felt someone behind him, he looked up and saw the Snow King staring at him with anger.

“Come now”

“No”

He rapidly stood up, walking back to the frozen water, Beomgyu looked around and he spotted Yeonjun on the other side of the river, unconscious. He placed his foot on the ice and it immediately broke, then the other, the ice also breaking.

“Hyung!”- He screamed.

“ _Enough_ ”- The Snow King growled.

He grabbed the youngster’s arm again, throwing him on the snow:

“You’re coming with me”

“No!”

The King looked behind him, and that’s when Beomgyu heard growling, he looked back seeing the wolfhounds glaring at him threatenly:

“Let’s _go_ ”

The wolfhounds snarled and barked, just about to attack him if he didn’t moved, he took a step back, just about to turn and follow the King.

But then he saw _him_

“Tae…”

The Prince of Autumn, together with some guards, approached the unconscious body of Yeonjun, then glancing to Beomgyu, his eyes widening immediately.

_Please…_

He silently pleaded looking at the prince:

_Please take care of him…_

One of the wolfhounds raised one of his gigantic paws and scratched him arm, he cried in pain, the cold started to spread through his arm and his body. The last thing he saw was Daniel glaring at him.

**+x+**

The room was dark when Beomgyu opened his eyes.

He rose from the bed, noticing that he still had his wet clothes and trembled. He sniffed and tried to find warmth with the covers of the bed, but it didn’t help that the room itself was cold.

A glow lighted up the room coming from the corner near the closed window. Beomgyu stood up, walking toward it and looked over; it was a soft white light from a basin filled with water that, surprisingly, wasn’t frozen.

Just like it happened with the King of the Summer, the water started to change and form images, Beomgyu recognized himself on it.

_He was running out of the castle, looking back at it and just bolting far away, finally escaping, a bright and relieved grin adorning his face…_

He smiled as he looked at the basin, but it disappeared as the object started to show a red glow, the image and the scenery of the water then changing:

_The Snow King’s enraged face, his eyes a bright blue and his pupils color white as he attacked the other kingdoms, he saw Taehyun trying to defend himself, trying to take down ice giants with his guards, not noticing that behind him were even more; a couple of guards managing to protect him but loosing their lives._

_The prince turned around and got out his golden gun, taking the advantage point, but in no time, more giants arrived._

_Way too many…_

_‘Daniel-‘- Taehyun muttered, the fear on his voice betraying him calm composure._

_The guards started to scream as one by one the horde of ice giants defeated them, Taehyun doing his best to protect them, but the guards also tried to protect him…_

_‘Stop this, stop it!’- He screamed, as he watched how his men perished._

_A laugh was heard, the Snow King appearing beside him, Taehyun then felt a horrendous scratch on his back, dropping on the floor as the venom started to spread fast on his body._

_‘No…’- He looked at the other with terror and pain._

_The Snow King’s right hand, they were claws, wolfhound claws…_

_He closed his eyes, thinking on Soobin and Kai, silently pleading them to be safe, and then of a bright smile, as big as his heart and blonde hair._

Beomgyu almost screamed to Taehyun but the water then showed him another scene:

_Soobin was running alone on the spring forest, no guards around him and the sword in his hand, a desperate look on his face. He arrived to Kai’s house, which was all frozen, the windows were all broken, glass on the floor, the doors all open, and the plants and trees dead due to the cold._

_Soobin entered the place, his eyes looking for the young prince, screaming his name, but no one answered._

Beomgyu’s blood dropped, the worry filling him and the fear…

_‘Kai!’_

_Soobin entered the kitchen, not seeing anyone, then to room of the prince, but no one was there, then when the king entered what was Beomgyu’s room…_

_There, on the bed Kai laid completely frozen, resting an eternal sleep that he wouldn’t get to wake up._

Beomgyu watched in horror, the prince’s calm expression as he slept on what used to be his bed, Kai… Beomgyu realized, had been sleeping on his bed since Beomgyu left… he started to cry again as he heard Soobin’s screams.

_The elder’s feet gave up and dropped on the floor, the sadness overwhelming him, he wailed and teared up yelling the prince’s name…_

_But then, Beomgyu noticed a shadow behind him…_

“No!”- Beomgyu screamed- “Soobin!”

_But he couldn’t hear him… the Snow King had hurt him worse than the stab; he was in a pain that it would never recover… The sword of the Snow King pierced through his heart, and Beomgyu noticed that the Summer King started crying even more._

_He felt a grip on the back of his head, forcing him to watch Kai’s body on the bed._

_“Hope you enjoyed my gift, **King** ”- The voice from the Snow King whispered on his ear in a venomous tone._

_Soobin felt himself grow weak and started to breath with difficulty; when the grip behind his head disappeared, he dropped on the floor, his eyes looking at the bed where Kai was… but the Snow King walked in front of him, his eyes showing madness and cruelty, a sinister sneer adorning his face._

_“Long live the King…”- He muttered, as he grabbed Soobin’s crown, placing it on his head- “of the Winter”_

Beomgyu screamed, looking away as he took a step back, and someone back hugged him as he thrashed and tried to free himself from the grip.

“What you saw will happen if you try to escape again”- The Snow King muttered on the youngster’s ear- “And I will not just destroy _them_ , I will also kill your little town, your Yeonjun hyung, every single person you hold dear, and I’ll make you watch as I do it”

Beomgyu started to tremble as tears streamed down his face. Daniel turned him around and started to caress his face, the youngster looking at the Snow King with fear.

"You make me feel so many things... so many..." - He muttered- "these sentiments that used to be foreign to me, since the first time I saw you years ago on that town during my season"

Beomgyu’s blood froze as soon as he heard what the Snow King said next:

"So that's why I must decide now, to either keep you here with me forever, or kill you in the most painful way so these feelings can disappear forever"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curious cat: cutesymochi  
> (my twitter is currently on hiatus hehehe)


	8. Elegy (part 1/2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!  
> It's been so long hasn't it? I apologize for taking so long :(  
> I was in a diplomat my whole vacations and I only got to write on my spare time, which wasn't too much.  
> With this being said, I want to also thank you for the support on this series and my stories, it's been an amazing experience, and I'm really happy to write for all of you.  
> With this new school year, my career is taking off and i wont be able to post that much stories, I promise i will finish The Snow King (i've finished writing it, in fact, I just need to edit it) but I will only write short stories from now on, bc school is going to be so hectic, so I apologize for that, and also if the story has grammar mistakes too :(  
> I actually had planned a Soogyu long story, which now i won't be able to write it because of school, so if any of you my lovely readers is interested, you can reach me (@cutesymochi) and i'll tell you the story so you can write it.  
> So, without further ado, let's continue this adventure until the end!

 

“So what are we supposed to do with _him_?”

Yeonjun grimaced as he opened his eyes staring at a roof, as the voices continued speaking, probably not aware that he was awake.

“I don’t know”

“Soobin is still delicate from the attack and he needs my attention, I can’t waste my time taking care of-“

“He’s Beomgyu’s boyfriend, Taehyun”

“And what’s your point, Kai?”

Yeonjun starts to sit up straight and a hand pulls him back:

“Hey, not so fast…”

He looks at a young boy with dark hair smiling kindly, and next to him was another one glaring at him, his big eyes almost shooting daggers at him.

“Daniel threw you off really far and hit yourself pretty bad… and your legs-“

“But my legs are fine…”- Yeonjun countered, his voice pretty raspy

“No they’re not”- The glaring boy spat, stepping in front- “They’re pretty messed up because of the ice, one false move and the injuries can get worse”

“But… I feel them just fine”

The boy’s eyes thundered, turning around and just walking away:

“Then do whatever the hell you want”

And with that he slammed the door shut, leaving Yeonjun with the taller boy, Kai, whose smile became a bit sad.

“Please forgive him, Tae is… we all are a bit agitated because of what happened with the Snow King”

“He-… he has Beomgyu”- Yeonjun muttered, and the younger boy nodded.

“Taehyun told us what he saw when he rescued you… I- I’m still trying to process it, I can’t-“- His voice was stained with an immense sorrow that Yeonjun felt the need to hug him, even though he just met the kid.

“The Snow King threatened him to do it”- He explained- “He would kill me if he didn’t surrendered, that’s why he did it”

Kai listened attentively, his eyes widening and then the rage invading his once tender stare:

“He’s always been like that, he’s just-“-He closed his eyes that were almost tearing up due to the anger- “Beomgyu… he doesn’t deserve this”

Yeonjun stood up, feelings his legs still a bit numb, but he could perfectly walk now. He felt something on his pocket and he took it out: the dagger... Beomgyu’s dagger.

“Ice-reaper…”- The youngster gasped standing up rapidly- “Why- the King gave it to Beomgyu, why do you have it?”

“Daniel forced him to drop it and I took it”- Yeonjun answered with regret, the memories flooding back- “I should have stabbed him when I had my chance-“

Kai caressed him shoulder tenderly, while Yeonjun tried to gather his thoughts, assessing the situation:

“You mentioned a king, and is not the Snow King… is there another one?”

“Soobin hyung… the King of the Summer”- He answered

“Summer… then he can- Why hasn’t he- where is he?”- He asked urgently, walking toward the door and exiting the room, walking fast on the hallway- “He could stop him and save Beomie”

Kai shook his head as he stopped him, grabbing the elder’s arm:

“Listen, Yeonjun, we had an attack and Daniel badly injured him, he’s still unconscious”

“What?”

Kai was about to answer when a voice behind him spoke first:

“He’s badly hurt, what part of it you don’t understand?”

Yeonjun turned around seeing Taehyun looking at him, carrying a bowl with a towel.

“He still hasn’t woken up, and his injuries are not healing well”- He ignored him then and stared at Kai with a worried expression- “Hyuka, he is still summoning roses on the room unconsciously and I…”

Taehyun sighed, while he offered the youngster the bowl reluctantly as he continued:

“I don’t want to-… I’m scared to rot them”

“Let me handle it”- Kai offered, taking the bowl and the towel and dashing toward the room.

Taehyun glanced at Kai and then back to Yeonjun, the hate still evident in his eyes:

“Who are you?”- Yeonjun asked, slightly shocked

“I’m a prince, Kai is one too, but for now just consider us the ones who helped you”- He said venomously.

Yeonjun stayed silent, trying to stay calm:

“Where’s Soobin?”

“ _King_ Soobin”- The youngster spat- “Is unconscious and you can’t see him”

The elder’s last bit of patience evaporated, crossing his hands as he tried his best not to scream:

“I just want to be there when he wakes up”

“To do what? Worry him? That’s the least thing he needs right now, he must recover first and your presence there will only unsettle him”

He sighs as pulls his hair back in frustration, the youngster not moving from where he was, watching the elder attentively.

“Okay just- give him this from me, can you _at least_ do that?”

He gave Taehyun the dagger, and the prince’s eyes widened, going incredibly pale:

“Why…do you have that? Why-? Beomgyu, he should have it-“

“The Snow King forced him to drop it and I took it“

“You…”- He muttered spitefully- “Congratulations, you took his only weapon to defend himself from that monster”

Yeonjun’s blood dropped at the words of the prince.

“I didn’t-“

“Such _love_ you feel for him to leave him with no weapon to protect himself”- Taehyun said sarcastically

“Wait, we were leaving together- is not that I planned this, okay? Daniel separated us and took him”- He countered, his blood starting to boil- “It’s better for me to have this than for that thing to take it away from him”

“At least if Daniel took it then Beomgyu could have the chance to _take_ it back from him, _use_ it and problem solved”- Taehyun said angrily- “Use your brain, or did he froze that too?”

Yeonjun took a step forward menacingly:

“I don’t know why is it that you hate me so much, I don’t even know you,”- He spat- “I haven’t even done anything to you”

“I have valid reasons to do so, and I do know you, so that’s enough for me to –not hate you– but _despise_ you.”- The growled, the anger and hate evident in his eyes- “I _loathe_ you”

Yeonjun stared at him, a look of surprise and sadness that Taehyun noticed but didn’t comment on it, he just didn’t bother to care at all; on the contrary, he continued to attack him:

“It’s because of you that Beomgyu is there, that he might die, or just surrender to the Snow King, and the worst thing is that _you’re_ here”- He said mercilessly- “alive and being useless”

He turned around and started to walk away, leaving Yeonjun feeling shaken and incredibly stressed and frustrated, he wanted to get out, scream his lungs out and cry.

_Beomie…_

**+x+**

As Yeonjun walked on the castle, he arrived to a large hallway, one of the doors half-open.

He took a peek and saw a medium room filled with many tables that had plants, water of different colors with a diverse amount of food on it.

But what made Yeonjun feel drawn inside was the giant amount of roses on the ground, all of them coming from the window toward the bed, where a boy was sleeping profoundly.

The elder drew closer to the bed, he could see the bruises on the boy’s skin, but the one that scared him the most was a terrible bruise that he had near his heart, it bled a white liquid from it and the elder was sure that that was causing the paleness and the frostbite attacking him.

“King Soobin…”- Yeonjun muttered as he kneeled, careful on not stepping on the roses.

The tender and calm expression of the boy’s face unsettled him, it seemed that the King was dead when he was just unconscious, it didn’t helped either that the roots of the roses seemed to be enveloping the arms of the boy-

“Hyung”

A voice behind him broke his thoughts; he stood up rapidly muttering apologies, seeing Kai entering the room with the bowl now filled with water.

He showed Yeonjun a kind smile as he left the container on the nightstand.

“I didn’t mean to intrude, I was just-“

“It’s okay, don’t worry”- He said as he placed the wet towel on Soobin’s forehead and another on the injury.

“How did that…?”- He asked timid, scared that the question was the wrong thing to say, and maybe it was, because Kai’s smile disappeared, to which Yeonjun started to excuse himself: “It’s okay if you don’t want to-“

“Its fine, really”

The youngster said, turning to look at Yeonjun, handing him another towel, to which he accepted, standing up and waited for instructions. While Kai walked to the other side of the bed and said:

“Clean on the scratches and the bruises, the towel has a tonic of mine, it will help heal them, and don’t move the roots from his arms, they are healing him too”

Yeonjun nodded, and seeing that both were now clear on what to do, Kai started to tell him:

“We were attacked on the river, Taehyun… he did something bad, and it angered Soobin and I, but we weren’t the only ones there”

“Choi Daniel”- Yeonjun said, to which Kai nodded.

“He arrived to where we were, and he was about to murder Taehyun when Soobin intervened. Daniel didn’t like that, and he just simply separated all of us”- Kai’s voice was stained with sadness and fear- “I don’t know where Soobin landed, but when Taehyun and I found him, he was stabbed on the floor, his body completely frozen”

“He tried to kill him”

“Is not the first time; Daniel has been trying to do it for some time, Soobin is not looking for power like he is, but he’s trying to stop him from getting more”- Kai muttered, a tender smile appearing on his face- “He’s a great king, he has been supporting Beomgyu since day one, he helped him when I tried to stop him, and when Taehyun almost ki-“

The prince stopped talking suddenly, but Yeonjun was already staring at him in alert:

“Almost what?”

“Nothing”

“What did he almost do to him?”

Kai was about to answer when an angry voice irrupted in the room:

“What is he doing here?”

Both boys turned around and saw a really angry Taehyun standing on the door, his eyes glaring at Yeonjun.

“Tae-“

“Get out”- He ordered- “I told you that you couldn’t be here, get out, _now_ ”

“I’m not doing anything to him”- Yeonjun spat, not moving from where he was.

Taehyun’s hand drew a gun out, pressing the barrel on the elder’s forehead, Yeonjun seeing that his eyes was now a bright yellow.

“ _Leave_ or I’ll do what Daniel should have done”

“Taehyun, stop!”- Kai yelled, running toward them, but the elder raised his hands in defeat and started to walk to the door and left the room.

When he was gone, Taehyun grabbed the door handle and when he was about to close the door, Kai stopped him:

“You can’t also be here”- He spat venomously, as he felt the intense stare of the Prince of the Autumn- “As you said before, you can kill Soobin, you might rot his roses and I won’t allow that”

“You’re just acting like this because of what just happened, stop”- He sneered, as he walked closer to Soobin’s bed.

Kai grabbed harshly Taehyun’s arm and pulled him away from Soobin’s bed, pushing him to the door.

“I’m serious, leave Taehyun. You have nothing to do here, just leave me do what I have to do, you’re just distracting me”- Kai spat as he returned to tend the King, as Tae looked at him dumbfounded.

After a couple of seconds, Huening Kai heard a door open and close.

As nighttime arrived, Yeonjun noticed that the corridors were calm, not many guards patrolling the area. So he tiptoed out of the room toward King Soobin’s.

He arrived in no time and he hurried inside, and as he turned around, he noticed that the bed was empty, only some roots of the roses remained.

“Choi Yeonjun?”

He looked at the window in surprise, noticing a silhouette on the window; Soobin looked at him with a shocked expression.

“You shouldn’t be up! Your injury-“- He hurried toward the king, but he stopped when the youngster smiled.

“I’m fine now, the real worry right now is Beomgyu, where is he?”- His eyes went directly to the dagger in Yeonjun’s pocket, his eyes widening- “What is going on?”

**+x+**

“Shall I kill him, or not…?”- Daniel muttered, as he looked at the sleeping face of Beomgyu, walking toward the bed and climbing it, starting to absentmindedly caress his hair and cheeks.

“I don’t want to kill you…”- He whispered.

As soon as he realized what he was doing, he stopped and just looked at the smaller boy, feeling rage and despair.

“What are you doing to me? Why… do you cause these feelings on me?”- He murmured with anger- “You are so beautiful, yet…”

He caressed again the boy’s cheek, cleaning a tear that fell and got up from the bed, standing by the side, still looking at the boy attentively a strange glint in his eyes:

“I have to kill you and end these feelings”

An icicle appeared on his hand, his eyes not leaving the frame of the boy, he raised his hand, the icicle threatening to stab Beomgyu’s heart while he slept. The King fought the feelings to just walk away, leave the room and not to kill the boy, the coldness of his heart being attacked by such warm and tender feelings.

“Just _die_ ”

He brought the icicle down, and just before it could even pierce Beomgyu’s body, the whole spike exploded into billions of pieces.

Daniel was shocked, how could that happen? _Why_ did that even happened? He took a step forward, the boy was still sound asleep and everything was normal, his hair was still silver so the King still had control over him… but, why did the icicle-?

_Warm…_

The King took a step back.

Beomgyu had a warm aura surrounding him…

Daniel looked around the boy, there had to be a source causing it… was it Ice-reaper? No… he had seen that Yeonjun took it with him, so it wasn’t the dagger, it had to be something else…

He saw something shining red on Beomgyu’s finger:

A ring with an inscription on it…

_“The two of us will always be one.”_

Daniel tried to touch it but it immediately started to burn him, he had to surpress a yell, it hurt so badly, and it had started to burn him so fast…

He looked at his fingers and there it was:

_Fire… warmth…_

_The two of us will always be one._

He glanced at the boy again, standing at a fair distance from him, another icicle on his hand.

He drew the spike on his chest, where his heart is… and it happened again.

It disintegrated fast just before it could even touch him.

That’s when Choi Daniel finally knew:

_He didn’t have full control of Beomgyu yet._

That kiss was a start, the boy had surrendered to him, but it didn’t mean that he was completely _his_ yet… his heart was still with Yeonjun and that ring was protecting him.

He looked at him with a smirk, thinking that maybe, _just maybe_ … he didn’t have to kill him, he could just then freeze his love for that kid and then conquer him. Conquer his love and freeze his heart; he will be his at the end… but for that to happen, he had to destroy that ring.

He sighed, feeling ridicule, scorning himself; look just how fast he had changed his mind; he could just kill the others; poison Taehyun, freeze Kai and just stab Soobin without thinking it twice, but when it came to Beomgyu…

He sat down on the bed, back to caressing the boy’s silver hair, and muttered:

“You’re my doom, Choi Beomgyu”

**+x+**

“By now, the snow King must be torturing him”- Yeonjun muttered, cracking his knuckles as tears of rage fell from his eyes- “Just like he did with me but worse, he was waiting for him and used me as bait, he wanted Beomgyu, and now that he has him-”

“That last thing is true, but he’s not torturing him”- Soobin said, looking at the elder- “At least I don’t think he is doing it now”

Yeonjun glanced at the king, as Soobin walked toward the window, the roses climbing up and entering the room.

“Beomgyu is alive, that’s a good sign”- He said touching his chest in a pained expression- “And even though he’s with Daniel, he’s safe”

“No, he’s _not_ ”-Yeonjun stood up rapidly, the desperation boiling inside of him as he took out Ice reaper placing it on the table- “He doesn’t have the dagger, he’s alone there with that monster and this thing is with me, and it’s useless!”

“Yes, the dagger is with you, and it’s good that it is for now”- Soobin said firmly- “But he’s protected with the ring you gave him”

Yeonjun looked at him with confusion on his face, the king nodded:

“You gave him the ring on the Winter Festival?”

“Yes…”

“He had it on when you last saw him, right?”

“Yes, but-“

“So as long as he has it with him, then he will be alright, it will protect him”- Soobin assured, smiling calmly at the frustrated boy

“But _why? How_ can you be so sure?”

Soobin looked at the window, to the forest covered with snow and threatening clouds of rain. The King of Summer feeling a sense of certainty: Beomgyu was alive, and he couldn’t let the elder lose hope, not when the youngster was counting on them to help him.

“I just know” – He walked toward him, placing a hand on the elder’s shoulder- “he’s alive, and he’s waiting for us to help him”

Yeonjun looked at him with amazement, and the door suddenly opened; Kai and Taehyun entering the room the latter with a bowl, both surprised to see Soobin up.

“Good to see you guys here”- The King said- “We can start planning now”

**+x+**

Beomgyu opened his eyes to a dark room; he saw another person by his side, the eyes closed, sleeping soundly.

He recognized him; foxlike eyes and pouty lips…

Beomgyu, still sleepy, caressed his cheek:

“Junnie~”- He whispered

_A bad dream, it was all a bad dream…_

He smiled and continued to caress him, until his eyesight adjusted the darkness and noticed the silver hair…

His hand halted, and the boy opened his eyes, the blue orbs staring intently at the youngster.

“You’re awake”

His voice, it was the same gentle and tender voice of Yeonjun, but with a cold tone.

“Why did you stop?”

The boy caressed the youngster’s cheek and Beomgyu shivered, his touch was so cold. He couldn’t stop looking at the elder, the fear invading him once more: because yes, the boy was the spitting image of his boyfriend, but he was cruel and he had hurt Yeonjun to the point where he almost killed him.

“Please…”

The King looked at him with curiosity, and Beomgyu continued:

“Let me go”

“No”- The King answered immediately, not wasting a second

“Then, kill me”

Daniel’s eyes widened, taken aback by the request, a terrible sensation on his stomach also making him feel a strange and bothersome feeling… he couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but he didn’t like it _at all_ , so he immediately responded:

“I won’t kill you”

The youngster looked at him attentively:

“You said before that-“

“I said that I had to decide whether to kill you or keep you… and at this point I can’t even phantom the idea of killing you”- He drew closer to him, staring at him with longing eyes- “Because I want you here with me, forever”

Beomgyu stared at the King, he started to tremble slightly and he couldn’t pinpoint if it was because of the cold or the fear he felt.

“I don’t want to stay with you”- The youngster said coldly- “I don’t feel _anything_ for you, just hatred”

He kicked the covers and stood up from the bed, starting to walk away until he felt the Snow King grab his arm.

“Hatred?”- The King sneered- “In case you forgot, you _surrendered_ yourself to me, you’re _mine_ now, so either you like it or not, you are stuck here with me now”

Beomgyu closed his eyes, as the King kept talking, the fury evident on his voice:

“So get the idea that you won’t leave this place, and if you do, you know the consequences”

The King’s eyes glared into Beomgyu’s scared stare, starting to feel again that tug in his stomach, he… _hated_ it… he loathed that scared expression… _why_ …?

He closed his eyes and dropped his grip on the youngster’s shoulders, yet he still glared at him.

“Your Yeonjun is not even here anymore”- He spat- “He’s gone now, left you here trapped with me”

“He’s with Taehyun, he’s close and he will come and rescue me with King Soobin-“

Daniel laughed loudly at the mention of the Summer king’s name:

“Soobin? I don’t think he will”- He fake cleaned a tear from his cheek

“What did you-?”- Beomgyu asked scared, feeling incredibly worried for the elder

“He’s alive, if that’s your concern”- He admitted- “He is _very_ poisoned though… I never expected these to be so lethal”

Beomgyu’s blood froze when he saw the claws appearing on his hand and the sinister smile the elder had…

The face of Yeonjun… the tenderness Beomgyu saw on his boyfriend, now was with a crazed expression, thirsty for power…

_That’s not him… not him at all…_

“You keep on hurting the people I love… how can you even possibly imagine that I would accept to be with you?”- Beomgyu muttered- “Just stop this, stop hurting them-“

“Then…”- He walked closer to the youngster- “kiss me”

He trapped him on the wall, the youngster looking at him with fear:

“W-what?”

“Kiss me, Choi Beomgyu”- He said firmly- “And I won’t hurt them anymore, not even your Yeonjun”

Beomgyu looked down, the tears threatening to fall, until he felt the cold touch of the King lifting his chin up, looking at the elder.

The King drawed his face near him…

Foxlike eyes…

_Yeonjun…_

_That’s not him…_

Their lips connected and Beomgyu closed his eyes.

Pouty lips…

_Yeonjun…_

_Not him…_

_Yes he is…_

_Junnie… my Junnie…_

The Snow King touched Beomgyu’s hand, feeling the ring.

It was warm, he could sense the heat coming from it, and it did burned but it was tolerable… he could feel starting to loose his power.

He smiled widely as he kept kissing him.

_Give up, just give up, just give up…_

The King looked at the youngster, adored him, the strange feeling growing more and more, he just didn’t wanted to separate himself from the boy, not to let him go.

Yeonjun parted way from Beomgyu’s lips, staring at him longingly, still grasping the

“You can’t leave me”

“I won’t leave you”

The Snow King’s eyes widened at what the youngster had replied, the younger boy looked at him with tears in his eyes, his forehead on the king’s.

“I’ll stay with you”

The King smiled as the youngster melted on his arms, his hand still on the ring, the warmth still burning his hand but not like before… his smirk widened.

His plan was coming out just perfect, now he just needed to get rid of his main problem:

_Choi Yeonjun…_

But he didn’t worry; he knew exactly how he was going to do it, and _who_ was going to kill him.

**+x+**

“We will double reinforcements on the main gate and south, there has been reports of ice animals and monsters attacking guards and townspeople”- The guard pointed it out at Taehyun, the prince listening carefully as the man explained the plan.

When the guard was done, screams were heard and the youngster turned around fast, starting to run toward the forest, a couple of guards following him with the weapons out.

“Stay alert!”- Taehyun warned, pulling out his guns.

Slowly, a dense fog began to spread around the forest, and in seconds Taehyun couldn’t see his guards who began to look for one another, prey of the fear, screaming for the prince.

Just as the youngster was about to warn the men about his location, he heard a loud scream for his name. A voice he recognized right away.

“Taehyun!”

“Beomgyu!”- He ran on the fog, multiple times almost hitting a tree and tripping with branches and fallen tree trunks.

The scream was heard again, and it was getting closer, the voice of Beomgyu sounding that he was in intense pain.

He was about to scream his name again when Taehyun noticed a silhouette by his side, tumbling and having a hard time to walk, getting his support by holding onto a tree.

“Beomgyu!”

He ran fast toward the boy, holding him as the silver haired male glanced at him, the deep blue eyes reminiscing Taehyun of the cold-hearted King.

“Gyu-“

“Please, help me”- The elder whispered urgently- “I- please-“

“Calm down, you’re safe now”- Taehyun assured, as the elder embraced the shaken boy- “He won’t lay a finger on you now”

“Yeonjun- where is he?”

“At the castle”- Taehyun answered fast- “He’s-”

“Kill him”

Taehyun rapidly broke the embrace, staring at the elder with a confused expression, and his blood ran cold when instead of seeing a hurt and shaken look on his face, he was met with an evil smirk.

“What?”

“You heard me”- He said nonchalantly

“B-but-“

“You hate him, don’t you?”- Beomgyu said, his face close to the prince,

“Yes”- He muttered, earning a smile from the elder.

The deep blue eyes staring at him intensely:

“Then if you kill him, I’ll be yours, Taehyun”

“Beomgyu…”

The silver-haired boy then kissed the prince’s lips, and Taehyun quickly gave in, closing his eyes, feeling a cold sensation on his body.

When he looked again, Beomgyu was gone and instead there was snow where he used to be. But Taehyun paid no attention; his mind was focused on one thing only.

_Yeonjun… Kill him_

And in the distance, Daniel Choi glanced proudly at the Prince of the Autumn, watching how the youngster walked back to the castle.

**+x+**

The door to Yeonjun’s room opened so quietly that the elder didn’t even looked back from the window, and neither when the newcomer locked it.

The elder, lost in his thoughts as he looked at the window directly to the mountain covered in snow.

Yet when he noticed that he wasn’t alone on the room it was too late, he sensed someone behind him and when he turned around, his eyes widened in shock as the prince grabbed him from his shirt, the rage clearly visible in his eyes.

“Taehyun!”

The prince slammed the elder to the wall, his grip tightening as the rage invaded him, Yeonjun noticed the yellow in his eyes… but there was also a faint color blue on them…

“Taehyun-“

“Beomgyu is _mine_ ”- He sneered- “The one who deserves to be on that castle getting tortured is _you_ ”

The prince’s eyes thundered with fury, he threw Yeonjun to the side hitting the table and knocking it down, the elder cried in pain. When he raised his head to look at the prince he saw Taehyun glaring at him as his hand reached to his pocket.

“I failed to stop him, you know?”- The youngster said- “I wanted to keep him safe with me”

Yeonjun raised his head and kept his eyes locked on him, the fear and the pain starting to creep on him:

“You… asked Kai what I had almost done to him”- He smiled as he walked toward him- “Do you want to know?”

The prince pulled out the dagger, the elder’s eyes widening as he remember that he had left it on Soobin’s room. He noticed that it had now a yellow glow on it and a dark color on the blade.

“I almost made his feelings for you disappear”- He said proudly- “I grabbed this dagger, and I nearly stabbed his heart to rot his love for you”

Yeonjun’s blood ran cold as he heard him say those words, the prince started to laugh maliciously as he saw the shock in the elder’s eyes.

“But of course he managed to escape, all thanks to Kai and Soobin”- He rolled his eyes and kneeled in front of Yeonjun- “But oh well… I failed once, but I won’t do it again”

The youngster grabbed a handful of Yeonjun’s hair to keep him pinned on the floor and brushed the tip of the dagger on his neck, watching how the elder started to tremble of fear.

“You didn’t help him-“- Yeonjun muttered, the tears starting to fall

“I did-”-The prince corrected- “I wanted to keep him safe, away from the harm of the Snow King”

“You _didn’t_ ”- Yeonjun spat, his voice trembling- “You trapped him-“

“I wanted to prevent what is happening now”- He exclaimed- “If I end you, then I can protect him, you only cause him danger”

“But you can help us save him, there’s no need to do this”- He stared at the prince, his eyes pleading him as he tried to grab the arm that had his hair, but Taehyun just tightened his grip and forced him to lay down.

“Oh I will save him, of course, I- unlike you- will get him out of there”- He said with venom in his voice- “But first I need to dispose of the main issue in here”

He pressed the dagger on the elder’s neck and Yeonjun gasped in pain, the blood starting to drip.

“Kill me, then”- Yeonjun muttered, his eyes starting to water- “Do it, but then I can’t wait what you will say to excuse yourself when Kai and King Soobin sees what you did… and even more, when Beomgyu finds out”

Taehyun laughed at that:

“Oh he’s going to congratulate me, I assure you”- He chuckled

The elder stared at him confused, and the prince rolled his eyes:

“Beomgyu was the one that ordered me to kill you”- He sneered- “And you want to know what else? He promised me that when I did… he would be _mine_ ”

Yeonjun’s blood froze, unable to say anything, Beomgyu would never do that, he would never… it didn’t make sense, his boyfriend was captured in the castle and the Snow King wouldn’t even let him put the tip of his shoe outside the castle…

“Taehyun, it wasn’t him”- He reasoned- “It’s a trap”

“We _kissed_ ”

Yeonjun stared at him wide eyed as the Prince of Autumn showed him a cruel smile:

“And it was the best feeling in the world”

“Then why he needs to kill me, if he prefers you?” Yeonjun muttered- “why didn’t he run away with you?”

Taehyun faltered, Yeonjun taking his chance to keep trying to break whatever spell was on the prince:

“He wasn’t real, Taehyun”- He insisted urgently- “Don’t do this, don’t let him get ideas on your head”

The eyes of the prince landed on him, the yellow and blue piercing him threatenly as the elder lay on the floor.

“Beomgyu needs us”

“He doesn’t need _you_ ”- He spat- “He needs _me_ ”

“He needs _all_ of _us_ ”- Yeonjun emphasized- “We all must help him”

Taehyun stared at the elder, his eyes widening as he stopped pressing the dagger on the neck of Yeonjun, the blue color of his eyes starting to fade.

“You once failed him”- The elder said with a tender voice- “Don’t do it again, please”

The grip on his hair loose up, the prince rapidly stood up and took a step away from Yeonjun, his back landing on the wall. The elder slowly stood up, his hand on his neck, feeling wet, the red of his blood staining his fingers. He sighed and went close to the youngster, who stared back at him in shock.

“Tae-“

“Yeonjun…”

He slid down to the flood, overwhelmed by what had happened, and _almost_ happened too, the thought of him killing Yeonjun still running on his mind and trembling uncontrollably, as he apologized over and over.

“I- I’m sorry- I-“

The elder grabbed his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

The door of the room opened, entering Huening Kai and Soobin trailing behind him, both of them with worry in their faces:

“What happened?”

Yeonjun looked at them:

“The Snow King”- He glanced back at the Autumn prince, who was still in shock- “He did something to Taehyun”

**+x+**

Yeonjun sat on the bed, his face buried in his hands. As soon as he heard the door close, the elder looked at the newcomer:

“How’s Tae?”

“He’s calm, Kai is with him”- The Summer king walked toward him, a tender smile adorning his face.

“Has he said something about what happened?”

The king sat down on the bed next to the elder, his smile disappearing at the question:

“He said that…”- He sighed- “He… saw Beomgyu on the forest, that he heard him screaming his name”

“What?”

“It was all an illusion, just as you said to him, the Snow King tricked Tae: using Beomgyu as a way to get in his head”- Soobin explained- “Daniel knows that he also loves him, so…”

Yeonjun stayed silent at that, not knowing what to say. Soobin continued:

“But that’s not what’s worrying me now”

“What is it?”

“Beomgyu, he’s got now blue eyes, Taehyun saw them in the illusion”- Soobin said

“But that was a fake Beomgyu, that’s not the real one“

“That’s where you’re kind of wrong”- Soobin cut him- “The illusions Daniel creates are based on the real person, and Beomgyu, the last time you saw him, had silver hair”

Yeonjun nodded, wincing at the memory.

“So… Beomgyu-“- The elder said fearfully- “What Taehyun saw was Beomgyu-“

The elder didn’t even want to finish that question, afraid of the answer.

“Daniel is breaking him- Soobin, we need to-“

“We need to think carefully on what we’re going to do”- The king warned- “He’s not an easy foe, we’ve both seen what he’s capable of”

“So… what’s your plan?”

“The Snow king, he’s incredibly powerful at this point, but lucky for us, that amount of power he has is not enough to crack Beomgyu yet”- He smiled- “But we all need to be careful, so we will have to sneak into the castle, cause a diversion and get Beomgyu out of there”

“But Daniel… when he notices Beomgyu missing, he will look for him and he will-“

“That’s when I come in, I am going to stop him”- He took out the dagger- “I am going to put an end to all of this”

Yeonjun looked at him with worry, and that made the young king smile at the elder:

“I know what you’re going to say”

“Daniel, he almost killed you, and I-“

“As a King, it’s my responsibility to take care of everyone”- He looked at Yeonjun firmly- “We will save Beomgyu, I promise, even if I die, I have to do this.”

Yeonjun looked at him, the worry and sadness evident in his eyes.

And as both boys were talking, a determined Huening Kai listened to them, his eyes glinting with tears that fell down.

He started to walk away toward his room, opening the enormous windows, the slightly cold air hitting his face, drying the tears in his eyes. He started to transform, wings replacing his arms and beautiful emerald feathers appearing. He jumped out, and flew away toward the snowy mountains.

**+x+**

Beomgyu stood in front of the mirror as his blue eyes stared back at him. Next to him, Daniel Choi appeared by his side, circling his arms from behind, placing his jaw on the youngster’s shoulder and smiling at the reflection.

Beomgyu looked at the king through the mirror, his face expressionless, not showing any sign of emotion yet that didn’t seem to bother the king.

“You look stunning, my love”- He admired- “Your beauty surprises me every day”

Beomgyu stayed silent, but it didn’t mattered, because the king announced his departure to check on the wolfhounds and kissed his cheek, leaving still with his bright smile.

As soon as the door closed, he let himself fall on his knees, the tears flowing down as he continued to look at himself on the mirror, placing his hand on the cold glass, his eyes immediately landing on the ring.

_The two of us will always be one_

“Yeon…jun…”

His mind wandered, blue eyes being replaced by brown eyes… a cold-like smile changing to a kind and cheeky one.

Beomgyu smiled bitterly, lying down on the floor of the gigantic room as he embraced himself protectively.

“Yeonjun…”- He closed his eyes as he muttered his name over and over, crying.

_The two of us will always be one_

_“I love you so, so much”_

“Junnie”

**_“You’re mine”_ **

His eyes opened rapidly, as the image of cold-hearted eyes appeared on his mind, the screams and the memories of Yeonjun being tortured by the Snow King torturing him.

_No! Yeonjun!_

He stood up from the floor, running toward the door, opening it and dashing out of the room toward the front door.

As soon as he touched the handle, flashes of what he saw at the basin came back to his mind:

Taehyun’s body lying on the grass, taking over by the frostbite poison…

Kai frozen on Beomgyu’s bed, back at the Spring domain…

Soobin’s stabbed body bleeding on the floor…

He faltered, the anxiety starting to take over and feeling overwhelmed

“Going somewhere, darling?”

He turned around fast, spooked of the voice behind him, seeing the Snow King looking at him with a serious expression.

“I wanted to go out… take a walk”- He muttered nervously- “It’s okay, right?”

The King stared at him, crossing his arms on his chest:

“And since when you want to _take walks_ in this castle?”- He sneered

“I’m bored, I want to explore, and go out-“

“You _can’t_ go _out_!”- The King screamed enraged- “You will stay here, inside the castle! You will never go out”

Beomgyu closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling and control his tremble, the deep blue eyes of the king thundered:

“Come here, _now!_ ”

The youngster walked obediently toward him, climbing the stairs, and as soon as he was next to him, the elder grabbed his arm and started to drag Beomgyu back toward the room.

The king opened the door, and threw the youngster inside, landing on the ground, Daniel slammed the door shut and strutting menacingly toward him.

“You never learn…”

“Daniel-“

“Your place is _here_!”- He yelled, and immediately an icicle fell down in front of Beomgyu, shattering into pieces as soon as it hit the ground.

The youngster looked up, seeing hundreds of them appearing on the roof, the shark edge threaten to stab whatever was on the floor below it.

“Please-“

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!”

The king growled as icicles fell down, several of them almost stabbing the youngster, who managed to evade them, as he tried to control the panic and pain that came from the icicles skimming sometimes his skin.

“Daniel, I’m-“

“What? Are you sorry? -He sneered, getting close to the trembling boy on the floor- “It seems that you constantly forget who you’re confronting”

Beomgyu stared at him with fear as he immediately felt an intense pain on his legs, a cold sensation that gave the feeling of being burned.

The youngster screamed in pain, unable to move away and his eyes tearing up. The king moved toward him, a sinister expression adorning his face, a strange feeling in his gut bothering him as he watched the boy crying.

“Please!”

He kneeled by his side, cupping the boy’s chin:

“Hmm?”

“I won’t do it again, please-“

“I wish I could believe you”- The king muttered, a betrayed tone in his voice- “But you just can’t learn”

The whimpers of Beomgyu grew louder as the frostbite attacked him, the king could see how it was embracing him, watching as the boy started to tremble… yet he wondered if that was because of the cold or the fear.

“Daniel-“

The king stiffened, the bothersome feeling in his gut worsening, the voice of Beomgyu calling his name with a pained tone…

He felt himself getting progressively angry, how could a simple human cause the King of the Winter such weakness?

“I could kill you”- he growled, watching how the boy’s eyes widened- “I could freeze you to death, watch you die so slowly and see how you give in to the cold”

A scream erupted again from the youngster’s throat, and Daniel watched how Beomgyu succumbed to unconsciousness, his body still trembling.

“Why?”-He whispered, caressing the wet cheek of the boy- “Why can’t you understand?”

He stood up, his eyes still lingering on the boy, and at the sound of a howl of one of the wolfhounds a smile appeared on his face, widening with malice as he walked away.

**+** **x+**

The Prince of Spring didn’t planned well what he was going to do once he arrived at the castle, that was… plain obvious.

He was angry, fueled by the sadness and the feel of protectiveness in his eyes.

How could Beomgyu-? Why had he succumbed to the Snow King? And why does Soobin always have to deal with the monster of Choi Daniel?

He landed on the snow, near the road and he immediately felt sick to the stomach, the frozen victims of the Snow King coming to view, he immediately focused his attention on walking toward the entrance.

Strangely, he entered the castle without any monster or hounds interfering… but before he could climb up the stairs, he heard a growl by his side:

A wolfhound with enormous teeth and sharp claws roared at him, and in less than a second, another one joined him, and then another…

The boy tried to stay calm; he was so close to the hallway… but the hounds looked like they would jump on him at any moment, and the poisonous claws… his breathing quickened as he thought of something-

“Huening Kai”

His blood froze as he looked back, seeing the Snow King wearing a sinister smile closing the door and resting his back on it.

“Fancy seeing you here, you’re… so far away from home, don’t you think?”- He mocked having a watch on his wrist- “And it’s so past your bedtime”

“Where’s Beomgyu?”

“In my room”- His smile widened- “Asleep like a _corpse_ ”

Kai’s eyes thundered, but before he could even confront him, Daniel interrupted him:

“Does your boyfriend Soobin, even know you’re here?”

“No he doesn’t know I’m here, and he’s not my-“

“So he’s awake now?”

The youngster, realizing what he had done, looked at the other in shock, watching how the elder stared at him with a mixture of emotions: between glee and hatred.

“I didn’t-“

“You’re so bad at lying, you know?”- He sneered- “He’s awake, and now you’re here, without him, why?”

“I-“

“You never separate yourself from him, why did you do it now?”

Huening Kai’s breath quickened, the pressure getting the better of him; this whole thing was a mistake, and now… looking at the Snow King’s smile, he was in deep trouble, and just as the elder had said… Soobin wasn’t with him, and he was lost because of it.

“Where- Where is Beomgyu?”- He tried to keep his voice firm, but it failed- “I won’t leave without seeing him”

“I told you, he’s sleeping, and how cute”- He mocked the boy, faking a flower pose- “Leaving? Was that your whole plan? To come here, say hi and then leave as if we just gathered here to casually drink tea?”

He laughed, his hand reaching up to clean the tears while Kai looked around in fear, the hounds still keeping him immobile.

“So I guess I should thank you, huh?”

“What-?”

“You came here, _alone_ … which means your precious Soobin will come looking for you in no time, and if that sad excuse of a king comes, then Yeonjun will take this chance too. So thank you, Kai, you really did saved me a lot of work, they will come to me, and I’ll just kill Yeonjun here”- He said in an excited tone- “And I will make sure that Soobin dies in a very _very_ painful way, and this time I won’t miss”

Huening Kai snapped.

He let out an enraging scream that erupted in the castle walls, echoing, as the tears clouded his eyes, green vines erupting from the ground, trying to grab the Snow King, who easily evaded them, and keeping away the wolfhounds.

“You won’t lay a finger on him!”

Daniel laughed, destroying a vine by cutting it with an icicle, launching himself as he evaded more vines, to be in front of Kai:

“Don’t say nonsense”

He swung his arm and an icicle stabbed his shoulder, the smaller boy cried in pain, as Daniel rapidly stepped away when Kai summoned more vines, tree trunks and roots.

“Beomgyu!”- The Prince of Spring screamed, as he walked fast and climbed the stairs, ignoring the pain as best as he could.

Daniel glared with hate at Kai, fighting the Prince’s attacks and sending more icicles that the youngster managed to defend himself.

The dark haired boy bolted toward the hallway, screaming the name of Beomgyu over and over with urgency, while the King, as soon as he broke the last tree trunk in his way, smiled and chased the youngster.

“Beomgyu! Where are you?”- Kai screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks as the terror invaded him.

He managed to look back, watching icicles being thrown at him, managing just in time to form trunks to stop them, seeing the Snow King’s disturbing smile:

“I can’t wait to see Soobin’s face when I show him your frozen corpse adorning outside”

The prince watched in horror how the ice covered the trunk and the vines, blowing them into small ice remains, the path cleared and the icicles pointing menacingly at Kai, who stared at the king with fear.

He braced himself for the icicles and the pain, but instead he felt a pair of arms surround him, and heard a cry of pain.

The prince opened his eyes, watching Beomgyu and himself laying on the cold carpet, the once blonde hair now silver; and the brown eyes, now a piercing blue. Kai immediately felt sadness, the light that he had once seen in Beomgyu was now gone, ripped it away, now a prisoner of the King.

“Gyu…”

The silver-haired boy looked at the Snow King in panic:

“I see my darling is now awake”

“Stop, Daniel, don’t do this, I-“

“Kai~”- The king sang, his smile never leaving his face- “Come here~”

“Daniel!”

“You must obey my orders, Kai”- He scorned- “I’m a King”

Huening Kai stood up holding Beomgyu, noticing that the boy winced and couldn’t stand properly, seeing the legs of him with frostbite. He swung the arm around his neck and started to run away.

“The exit, where is it- We need to leave- Now!”- Kai muttered urgently before he let out a cry in pain and ending together with Beomgyu on the floor once again clutching his leg.

Beomgyu, when he sees that Daniel close to them gets in front, shielding the youngster from the Snow King.

“Stop!”

“Move, Beomgyu”- The King sneers, his smile widening- “I’m going to give Soobin a big surprise before I kill him”

Beomgyu grabbed one of the icicles on the floor and pointed it at his own neck:

“If you touch him, then I’ll end this”

That made the King’s smile disappear: the fury replacing his features.

“Drop that”

“No”

The blue eyes of the elder thundered, and in the blink of an eye, the icicle melted on Beomgyu’s hand.

Daniel took a step forward and Beomgyu reacted, standing up although his legs were screaming in pain. The king laughed bitterly and enforcedly slammed the silver-haired boy on the wall and reached Kai.

The youngster thrashed and cried, prey of the fear and the strong grip of the king. In a quick motion, Daniel managed to knock the prince and Beomgyu started crawling toward the youngster, tears streaming down his face.

But the Snow King grabbed him from his arms, lifting him up and slamming him on the wall harshly, earning a cry from the youngster:

“Daniel-“

“Let me leave something clear here: the only one who can take your life is _me_ ”- He warned, his hand now on the neck of the trembling boy- “The next time you get the brilliant idea to threaten me, I will not hesitate to _end you myself_ , am I clear?”

“Don’t kill him, please-“

“ _Am I clear?_ ”

“Y-yes, yes”

And with a precise hit, the darkness came back again for him, the body of an unconscious Kai being the last thing he saw.

_Soobin… Yeonjun…_

**+x+**

His hand grabbed an emerald feather on the floor, the face of the king of the Summer starting to pale and let the panic take over him.

“Tae…”

The prince kept giving orders to the guards, as the king’s face paled and in no time, the fear invaded him:

“ _Taehyun!_ ”- He screamed

The younger boy rapidly looked at Soobin and then to the green feather on his hand, immediately feeling an ugly discomfort on his stomach.

“Where’s Kai?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you all next chapter!


	9. Elegy (2/2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!  
> The next chapter is up!  
> Hope you guys are having an amazing day, mine has been quite hectic but thankfully is passing by quickly, remember to rest and drink water!  
> The last chapter will be up soon, sadly my computer decided to delete it and it was all done and edited :( but oh well, this happens when you don't back up your things  
> So, without further ado, enjoy this chapter!

 

“He must have heard us talking”- Yeonjun muttered, sitting down on a chair, looking at Soobin, whose uneasiness kept him walking back and forth on the room; while Taehyun stood up resting his back on the wall, his arms crossed.

“By now, he must be at the castle”- Taehyun said, the worry evident in his voice- “with Daniel”

Soobin gazed up, trying not to cry and let out a silent sob.

“He… he’s going to try and get Beomgyu out”- The king said, his voice trembling- “Kai- he’s good at sneaking, he used to do it all the time at the palace”

“And here too, that rascal”- Taehyun muttered- “All of the sudden, always, I came to my room and surprise! Kai was there”

The prince then looked at Yeonjun and Soobin worriedly then:

“What is it?”

“If he did listened to you and _everything_ you said”- He concluded- “Then he will also try and kill Daniel”

Yeonjun stood up immediately:

“There’s no way he will- No… Kai is not like that-“- The elder exclaimed- “Why would he even try that?”

“Because of him”- Taehyun looked at the king- “He will fight for Soobin”

“Hyuka…”

A memory came to the king’s mind:

_“Can I try your crown?”_

_“Why? You can still wear yours”- Soobin laughed as the youngster smiled pleadingly at him, trying to reach the object on his head- “Accept your duty as King of Spring and you’ll have it”_

_“But I want to try yours!”_

_“Fine-“_

_“How do I look hyung?”_

_Soobin smiled, looking at Kai struggling to keep the crown on his head but it was big compared to the prince’s head, so it didn’t fit._

_“Cute”_

And that’s when the King of Summer finally broke down, the tears finally escaping his eyes, but the worry wasn’t there anymore, now it was determination and courage.

Soobin turned around and exited the room, ignoring the calls of the other boys; he started to run toward the garden, cleaning the tears from his eyes.

As soon as he entered the enormous room, the pond on the center glowed and a voice filled the place:

“Choi Soobin”

“Where is he?”- He growled, staring at the reflection of the Snow King, who looked at him with a grin- “Where’s Kai?”

“He’s here, just woke up from a sweet nap”-The elder said- “Do you want me to pass a message for you?”

“Let me talk to him, and also Beomgyu, _now_ ”

“So feisty… did my old friend Yeonjun passed his stubbornness to you now?”- He rolled his eyes- “I’m afraid you can’t talk to them now, Beomgyu is now asleep and your baby Kai… well, I don’t want _you_ to talk to him”

“ _Daniel_ ”

“If you want to see him so bad, then… you’ll have to come here, because Kai can’t stand up for the time being”

Yeonjun’s face paled, remembering how the King had him with frostbite on his legs, the intense pain that he felt due to them being frozen and how it stung like needles whenever he tried to stand:

“How could you, he has done nothing to you!”- He exclaimed, looking at the Snow King with hatred.

“Oh he did, actually”- He sneered- “He made a mess of my castle, arrived unannounced, and infested it with trees and vines... he has to pay for what he has done”

“Please- Just… don’t hurt him”

“If you want that, then come to me”

“Soobin, don’t! Don’t come here!”

The eyes of Soobin widened at the terrified voice of Huening Kai, his desperation evident as he started to look for Kai and watch how the Snow King turned back.

“Daniel! Don’t hurt him!”- Soobin pleaded, seeing the king turn back- “Please, don’t-“

“Then come here”- Soobin glared at Daniel, the grin of the elder widening, his blue eyes stared at the King of Summer with a strange and creepy glint- “And come alone”

**+x+**

“You can’t go there, Soobin! Yah!” -Taehyun grabbed the king’s arm, stopping him from walking away, the anger and worry still evident in his eyes.

“If you go there he’s going to kill you”- The prince exclaimed, trying to convince Soobin, the latter staying silent.

“Soobin, please… we need to think of something, to come up with, a concrete plan”- Yeonjun walked toward them, standing in front of the king- “You said it to me, remember? We can’t rush in, we will only cause a mess and hurt Kai and Beomgyu in the process”

Soobin turned around, glancing at the elder, his eyes widening:

“No we won’t, I have a plan”- He glanced at Yeonjun- “But I will need you to promise me something first”

**+x+**

The trio reached the road where the corpses were on display, Taehyun looked down as he walked grabbing Soobin’s arm; Yeonjun glanced at them, the facial expressions of immense terror sending him chills, but unable to look away, the fear creeping in.

As soon as the Summer king saw the wolfhounds, he stopped:

“Now”

Yeonjun and Taehyun ran, both hiding on the frozen walls of the road, peeking as Soobin walked firmly to the door of the castle.

The elder tapped on his belt, the dagger resting on its case securely tied for rapid access in case they were discovered.

“He’s at the door”

Yeonjun looked at the King of Summer standing in front of the big doors, the wolfhounds growling at him, inspecting every movement he made. He glanced at a small window down the castle, being guarded by wolfhounds; recognizing the kitchens, and he pointed it:

“There?”

Taehyun nodded, but he kept his gaze on the king.

As the doors opened, the king stepped inside, and the elder felt Taehyun tense.

“Hey, he’s going to be alright, it’s going to work”

Taehyun glanced at Yeonjun, an uncertain feeling on his eyes that the elder couldn’t pinpoint.

“I know its not the right time but…”- He said- “I owe you an apology”

Yeonjun listened quietly, the smaller boy thinking his next words:

“I tried to hurt Beomgyu, and I almost hurt you too… I messed up everything and now Hyuka and Beomgyu’s lives are in danger-“

“Hey, this is not your fault, and besides, we are going to get them back”- Yeonjun assured with a calm smile- “its okay Tae”

The prince smiled at the other boy:

“I’m really sorry, I mean it”

The elder placed his hand on the other’s shoulder:

“It’s all in the past”- He said, watching the Summer king entering the castle and the wolfhounds walking behind him, leaving the entrance unguarded- “Now, watch my back”

“And you watch mine”

Yeonjun smiled at him, standing up quietly drawing the dagger, which had a faint red glow:

“That’s a promise”

**+** **x** **+**

“Soobin! You really came”

The aforementioned looked up on the second floor, seeing the Snow King with a sneer, his blue eyes giving off his immense excitement.

“Just like you said”- The youngster said firmly, masking his nervousness- “Where’s Huening?”

“Oooh, giving orders already?”- The boy said with a sad faked tone in his voice- “You just arrived”

“You said-“

“I said I wouldn’t hurt him, which now I won’t”- He clarified- “But I never said I would let you see him”

“You did! You said that-“

“Well, I’ve changed my mind”- The Snow King said nonchalantly- “At least be thankful that I won’t hurt him _now_ ”

The rage became visible in Soobin’s eyes, turning red immediately and unleashed his sword that immediately was surrounded with fire:

“You better not have hurt him _before_ ”- He threatened

“Well someone had to pay for all the mess he created”- Daniel scoffed- “So, I taught him a valuable lesson with my new toy”

He raised his hand, a large thin rope appearing on his hand, and Soobin’s eyes widened.

It was a whip.

“How could you-?”

“His screams… he will now think twice on crossing me”-His eyes now glaring at Soobin- “Beomgyu too”

The King of Summer felt his blood freeze, his mind torturing him with terrible images of Huening and Beomgyu’s screams, the fact that both had fallen prey to this monster…

“Let them go, now”

“No”

“ _Release them_ ”- Soobin’s voice thundered

“I said _no_ ”- Daniel growled, his blue eyes glaring at him

“I’ll take their place”- He offered- “I will stay here, let them go”

Daniel Choi went silent, somewhere deep in his mind he wished this moment would come, where Soobin would surrender to him like this… and now that he had what he wanted, there’s no way he would waste it.

But he had to think well his next move.

“Fine, I’ll accept your offer”

Daniel watched how the Summer king’s eyes relaxed for a bit, and he smiled:

“But-“- He conditioned- “Beomgyu stays”

Soobin’s calm evaporated.

“No, my offer is for both of them, Daniel”

“Beomgyu is bound to me”- He said with a smile- “Nothing will separate me from him, not even your pitiful self. So if you are going to keep pushing this ridicule proposal then leave, Kai is my final offer”

Daniel started to walk away, until:

“Wait!”

He turned around, watching Soobin look up defeated:

“Hyuka… release him”- Daniel watched him, the glee coming back to him as he watched tears stream down his face- “I’ll stay, just let him go”

The Summer king lifted his sword and dropped it in defeat, and the sinister smile of Daniel widened:

“Deal”

After a few seconds, the Summer King watched a wolfhound with an ice giant escorting a visibly hurt Huening Kai.

Soobin’s blood boiled, he saw the wounds in the youngster’s cheeks, cuts on his shirt due to the whips, and a nasty bruise on the top of his left eye.

The youngster tensed as soon as he saw Soobin, a panic attack visibly rising up:

“Hyung- don’t-“

“Just leave, Hyuka-“

“I won’t leave you here!”- He ran toward him, limping, and hugged him, looking at him in the eyes- “I don’t want you to die”

The other boy’s heart broke up yet trying to not cry in front of the youngster.

“Kai, please-“

“He’s going to _kill_ **you**!”- The youngster yelled, an indescribable pain evident in his voice that it broke Soobin, who kneeled still hugging the Prince of Spring, his head resting on his shoulder:

“ _Leave, Hyuka”_ \- He murmured- “ _They’re_ waiting”

The youngster tensed as the elder pulled away and gazed at him with a tender smile, those ones that Kai adored:

“I’ll join you soon”

Kai let out a sob, hugging him again, his fists bawling on the king’s shirt, not wanting to let go:

“Promise it”- He looked up, glancing at the Snow King who was staring at them with a patient expression- “And bring Beomie with you”

Soobin closed his eyes; he didn’t even need to promise him that, he would make sure to leave with castle together with Beomgyu.

“I will”

**+** **x+**

“He’s going to _kill_ **you**!”

Beomgyu’s eyes shot open at the sound of the scream.

He recognized that voice:

_Huening Kai…_

He stood up, feeling a sharp pain on his legs; the effects of the frostbite still lingering even though the ice had disappeared and the newly bruises on his back and arms still hurting him.

He walked to the door finding it locked.

“Kai…”

_He’s going to kill someone…_

His mind was racing, the meaning of what the young prince had said creating tons of possibilities, and none of them were good.

Why did Kai scream that? Was Yeonjun here?

_Yeonjun…_

After a few tries and really painful punches on the door, he heard people walking on the hallway and he hurried away from the door toward the bed, each step he made feeling like needles on his feet.

The door shot open, an ice giant entering the room followed by a wolfhound and-

“Beomie!”

He watched in horror how the ice giant pushed the King of the Summer inside the room and slammed the door closed.

“King Soobin-“- He walked toward the boy, engulfing the newcomer in a hug that made him involuntarily whimper in pain when the elder circled his arms around him.

“Do they hurt? Let me see”- Soobin asked worried as he sat down on the bed

“I’m fine, but- Prince Kai, where is he? He was it worse than me, he-“

“Kai is safe, I…”- Soobin assured, a sad smile on his lips- “I took his place”

Beomgyu watched him, seeing how relieved the king was, knowing that the prince was safe even though his life was on the line now.

The king took his hand, inspecting the injuries in his arm:

“Why did he do this?”

The youngster took a breath, the memories of that moment coming back to him hauntingly:

“He was whipping the prince, punishing him for what he did with the vines and trees…”- He retold as he started to sob- “He was screaming, apologizing to that monster and calling your name”

Soobin closed his eyes, suppressing the tears that threatened to fall.

“I got in between, to protect Kai and stop Daniel… and this is the result”- Beomgyu said, a firm tone in his voice, showing the injuries- “After that, Daniel took me to his room and left Kai alone, the Snow King was so angry and I was so scared for the prince”

Soobin nodded as he whispered:

“He’s now safe with Taehyun and Yeonjun”

Beomgyu’s eyes widened at the mention of the latter.

“Junnie… is he-?”

“He’s alright, don’t worry”- He looked back, making sure that no one was near and lowered his voice- “They’re outside, he’s trying to find a way inside the castle”

Beomgyu shook his head, the worry evident in his eyes:

“No, king Soobin he can’t- he mustn’t-“

“Beomgyu, listen to me”- He grabbed both of the youngster’s arms, trying to calm him down- “This is your chance to leave this place and you will do it, no matter what happens”

“Soobin, please, I can’t! I saw it… He will kill you all, even my dad- my friends- please!”- He sobbed, pleading to the Summer king- “Please-“

“I won’t let him do that, I promise”- He looked into Beomgyu’s blue eyes, smiling tenderly at him, glancing at the ring on his fingers- “You are a good person Gyu, you deserve to be happy. I should have stopped him when I had the chance and not fail like I did…”

“Hyung…”

“Take care of everyone”- He pleaded- “And don’t ever take this ring off”

“King Soobin-“

The door slammed open, the light of the hallways blinding Beomgyu’s sight, he closed his eyes as he felt a pair of arms suddenly surround him and heard a tender voice on his ear… one he had yearned to listen again calling his name and woke up crying to it every time:

“Beomgyu… my Beomie”

“Junnie…”- He sobbed, burying his head on the elder’s neck- “Junnie, Yeonjunnie”

Yeonjun inspected the injuries on him, his eyes thundering with rage as he then looked at Soobin, the Summer king nodding firmly and Yeonjun took out Ice Reaper, giving it to the king.

“You two need to go”-He said as he safely secured the dagger- “Get Beomgyu and Hyuka far away from here, and please take care of Tae”

“Soobin-“- Beomgyu whimpered, taking the king’s hand, refusing to let go, and Yeonjun didn’t even tried to pull him, as he also didn’t wanted to leave the dark haired boy there, on the claws of the Snow King.

“I will be alright”- He looked at Beomgyu- “I promised it to Hyuka, I’ll see you guys soon”

Soobin glanced at Yeonjun, his face firm, urging the elder to leave immediately, and as much as the boy wanted to also grab the Summer king and leave all together, he held Beomgyu tight and walked away.

“No…- Yeonjun, no!”

Yeonjun looked away, closing it quietly and pulling the youngster to follow him, letting his tears fall down.

**+** **x+**

Soobin walked toward the bed, unveiling the dagger out of the sheath, the red glow fading away as –Soobin guessed- Yeonjun and Beomgyu were walking away from the room, escaping the castle.

A feeling of dread and sadness crossed him, the need to make sure they get out safely urging him to run of the room and help them, but he controlled himself; he trusted Yeonjun, he would protect Beomgyu and knew the route perfectly, Soobin had taught him well.

Besides, the Snow King had lessen up his security on the castle the moment he captured Soobin, trusting that Taehyun and Kai wouldn’t dare to defy him and join Yeonjun on a rebellion to rescue Beomgyu.

How wrong Daniel was…

Now everything is just a matter of time before Soobin put an end to everything.

By the time Daniel realized that Beomgyu was gone with Yeonjun, they both would be far away from here, they would have crossed the mirror –or Umbra Lake, as Beomgyu called it- back to their world.

And Soobin would do his best to protect Taehyun, Beomgyu, Yeonjun, the rest of humanity… and Kai.

**_“Promise it”_ **

He let out a silent sob, the broken voice of the Prince of Spring invading his head and a tug on his stomach making him feel an indescribable pain.

One that the Snow King didn’t cause, or the wolfhounds, but an invisible and merciless being: his heart.

“ _Hyuka…_ ”- He whispered

**_“He was calling your name”_ **

**_“I don’t want you to die”_ **

As he cleaned the tears from his cheeks, and grasped firmly the dagger, he heard the door open behind him… and he immediately felt the aura of the space go incredibly cold, as the rage from the Snow King poisoned the room.

“Where is he?”

Soobin closed his eyes…

_Hyuka…_

His grasp on the dagger tightened, and felt the power of the summer overflow inside of him, he was only with Ice reaper, -his fire sword destroyed by that monster- and he needed nothing else, just the urge and courage to protect the ones he held dear:

“Safe and away from _you_ ”

**+** **x+**

As Yeonjun jumped out of the kitchen window, after making sure that it was free from wolfhounds, he waited for Beomgyu to climb down, both of them running and reaching the road, the frozen bodies making the youngster stop in horror.

“Gyu…”

“Soobin- he’s going to do this to him- Daniel… He’s going to-“

Yeonjun clasped his hands on Beomgyu’s cheeks; certainty plastered in his eyes:

“King Soobin is strong, he won’t let that monster win”- The younger boy stared at him, surprised by the firmness in the other’s voice- “He promised, and we must trust him”

Beomgyu nodded, his hand around the elder’s shoulder for support and kept walking, not seeing the frozen bodies, hurrying to the edge of the river where they saw Taehyun tending to a very injured Kai, who lay on the ground passed out.

“Tae, how is he?”- Yeonjun asked, the uneasiness evident in his voice

“He managed to control the bleeding somehow, but there are certain scratches that are worrying me, I will have to take him to the castle and have my people tend him”- He confessed, looking at Beomgyu then- “You…”

The latter glanced at Taehyun, an unreadable expression, and Yeonjun noted how the disappointment was evident in the Prince of Autumn’s eyes

“So what Daniel showed me was true… you did gave up to him”

“Tae-“- Yeonjun warned, unconsciously shielding Beomgyu

“How… why?”

“I had no choice”- The silver-haired boy said with honesty, a pang of guilt evident in his tone

Taehyun stood up walking toward him, the betrayal on his face palpable, staring accusingly at him:

“You did. You could have resisted him and not give up, or at least put up a fight”

The blue eyes of the youngster watched the prince:

“It was either this, or the life of all of you”- He spat- “And I made a choice”

The Prince of Autumn shook his head, looking away crossing his arms on his chest, and after some minutes he –surprisingly- engulfed him in a tight hug.

“You seriously need to stop being to noble and stop putting others first than you”- He whispered on his ear- “There’s people here that worry so much for you, you know?”

Beomgyu smiled gently at him, releasing the hug and grabbing Yeonjun’s hand.

“Where’s Soobin?”-Kai asked numbly, opening his eyes- “Tae, where-?”

“He’s not here, but he will come soon, you need to rest”- He glanced at the others- “We need to leave right now, as soon as Daniel discovers that Beomgyu is not there he will start to patrol everywhere”

Yeonjun nodded, moving to help Beomgyu stand, while the Autumn prince held the younger boy.

As they readied themselves, an explosion and an avalanche of snow came out of the castle and the howling of the wolfhounds threatening close.

“He knows, we need to go Yeonjun”

“But, Soobin-!”- Beomgyu whispered panicked- “Yeonjun, we can’t leave him”

“We need to trust him, Beomie, he promised“- The elder said, not sounding convincing at all, as if he was also reminding himself of the king’s words- “He will be alright, I’m sure-“

“Does _that_ look like he’s okay?”- Beomgyu exclaimed exasperated- “Daniel is going to kill him, he’s going to murder everyone!”

“So what’s your plan?”- Taehyun asked, the boy looking desperate- “Go back and apologize? Do you think that’s going to pacify him after you literally escaped with Yeonjun?”

“It might still save Soobin from him”- The silver-haired boy said hopeful- “I can convince him-“

“You won’t”- The Autumn prince shook his head- “Not this time”

The blue-eyed boy stared at him; mouth shut and tears in his eyes:

“After this, he will not trust you anymore”

Beomgyu stayed silent, watching how the snow coming out of the castle kept appearing, some transforming into ice-giants, wolfhounds, even ice-bears.

“Let’s leave, _now_ ”- Taehyun ordered- “We need to think of something”

Yeonjun nodded, taking Beomgyu’s arm, and pulled him…

But the youngster didn’t move.

“Gyu…”

“Junnie”

The elder stared at him wide eyed, the youngster eyes with a strange glint of determination, and he drew his face close to Yeonjun, kissing him.

It was a sad kiss, almost like a needy one, but what caused Yeonjun to grasp him firmly was the sentiment of ‘farewell’ in the youngster’s lips.

“Let me go, junnie”

“No”- He muttered firmly- “I just got you back, I can’t lose you again, I wouldn’t resist it-“

“We can’t leave him there”- He urged the elder- “We both know how cruel that place is, and the monster that he is”

“ _Soobin… Soobin hyung_ ”- Kai muttered in Taehyun’s arms

Yeonjun looked at him, then back to Beomgyu, closing his eyes with a deep feeling of regret, the voice of Soobin coming back to him, that day at the garden:

“ ** _Promise me that you won’t let Beomgyu, or Kai, intervene for me_** ”

“I’m sorry Gyu”

“Junnie-“- He stared at him, wide eyed, as the elder walked toward him.

“I promised him, I can’t-“

He grabbed his arms and carried him, the youngster thrashing and punching his back.

As the elder reached the lake, Beomgyu managed to hit on a nerve on his back which caused Yeonjun to tumble the grip on him and release the silver-haired boy. He ended up on the floor, which Beomgyu rapidly stood up and started to run back to the castle, ignoring Yeonjun and Taehyun’s screams.

**+** **x+**

Soobin rushed behind a pillar, crouching and as soon as the attack shook the now unstable column. His left arm stung and looked at it, the blood coming out as he noticed something white expanding on his arm. He sighed as he spotted the entrance to a hallway

Of all the few times he’s been on the Snow King’s castle, he never managed to learn where was everything in that place, he suspected that the castle itself had doors that weren’t rooms, just adorning to confuse the victims.

Keeping that in mind, he wandered on the hallway, looking back and wincing in pain, Daniel had managed to counter all of his attacks so far so he had to be careful and plan an unsuspecting attack.

“Soobin~”- The Snow King chanted.

The Summer King turn around, a horrified expression adorning his face; Daniel walked toward him with a calm pace, not worrying that Soobin would run again, fully knowing that no matter where he went, this was his castle and it was futile for him to hide.

“Found you~!”

The youngster evaded a fast icicle threatening to stab him, landing on the floor but rapidly standing up and running away.

“This is so much fun”- The Snow King sneered; as he commanded more icicles to form and launch toward the other king, who managed to break the incoming spikes with a wave of fireballs that almost hit Daniel and swinging the dagger to break the ice monsters apart.

The Snow King’s eyes widened, the grin extended as he laughed:

“So there’s still some fight on you”

Soobin’s breathed rapidly, he was actually incredibly tired and in pain; the Snow King, since the first time he fought him he was a very powerful foe, and even with Taehyun and Kai’s help he couldn’t manage to knock him down.

On the contrary: Soobin was almost killed.

And even with the small fight on the lake with Beomgyu, Daniel Choi managed to knock him down for several days, and now…

He ran out of the hallways, reaching the frontal doors, where lots of snow was piling up, wolfhounds growled at him. He halted and turned around.

“Soobin, Soobin… I hope you already said your goodbyes to the others”- He showed a cruel smile as he unveiled the icy whip and formed more icicles- “Especially Huening Kai”

**_“Promise it”_ **

_Hyuka…_

As the whip and the icicles launched to him, the voice of Kai echoed in his mind, feeling a warm sensation on his chest as he closed his eyes, braising himself… but involuntarily unleashing an explosion of fire as soon as the weapon went down.

He never felt the pain of the spikes, or even the weapon hitting him, but he did hear the cry of pain of the Snow King.

He glanced at him, the weapon regenerating itself, but the hand completely calcinated, the once mocking expression of the king, now turning to a murderous and hateful one.

“Play-time is over, Choi Soobin”

**+** **x+**

The moment that Beomgyu snuck back inside the castle, he realized that he had to be quiet immediately.

Wolfhounds and ice giants patrolled every perimeter of the castle, and even the outside corridors, so he had to be very observant.

As he tiptoed out of the kitchen, he heard the sounds of heavy bodies hitting the floor and things breaking and falling.

He exited toward the hallways, being extremely careful not to make any sound, and that’s when he watched the body of Soobin hitting the ground, gasping in pain, the dagger flying away and landing near the stairs, a bit close to where Beomgyu hid.

The youngster had to suppress the urge to go and help Soobin up, he realized that the Summer king was now extremely tired, in a really bad shape, the Snow King was breaking him apart by torturing him.

He started to crawl to where the dagger was, now that the Snow King was busy with Soobin he had to take the risk and be fast.

He gazed around him, thankfully the wolfhounds and the snow was long gone, he guessed that the animals were patrolling and the Snow King had commanded them to go around the castle together with the ice giants.

“I’m impressed, Soobin”- Beomgyu heard the venomous voice of Daniel say- “You keep thinking that you can actually defeat me”

An icicle fell down, nearly hitting the Summer king’s shoulder and the youngster looked up, realizing with horror that the roof was completely covered with spikes, ready to stab anyone.

He had to hurry up.

“I have nearly killed you two times, but as I am a good sport I spared your life because I _kinda_ cared for you”- Daniel then wheezed, laughing loudly and then continued- “But now you’re just getting in my nerves, I mean, now you’re just going to make me kill you, then kill the other two excuses of princes and that annoying ass of Yeonjun to get back my Beomgyu”

“You won’t win again”- Soobin exclaimed, talking with difficulty looking at Daniel defiantly- “I will end your abuse of power, and you will leave Beomgyu alone”

The aforementioned drew each time close to where the weapon was, but the fight between the two kings caused him to stop moving and stick to the corner of the wall so he wasn’t noticed, his eyes glued to the dagger.

“I will find him sooner or later, and I will eradicate every single person that stands in my way to do so”- He lifted his hand, ready to command an icicle- “And I’ll start with you”

Just before the Snow King commanded the icicle to drop, a loud growl rung on the castle grounds and Beomgyu looked by his side; a wolfhound glaring at him.

“No…”- The youngster whispered, and rapidly looking at the Snow King, who looked immediately where he was, and his face morphed into a sinister smile, one that made the youngster feel chills. Soobin immediately started to reach and grab Daniel’s arms, trying to stop him from going toward Beomgyu, in a futile attempt to help him escape.

“Beomgyu run, leave!”- The Summer king screamed.

The Snow King lowered his hand, and an icicle landed on Soobin’s arm, freeing the elder who ran toward the youngster; Beomgyu prepared himself to dodge him, but a bulled that almost hit the Snow King’s temple made him stop in his tracks and glare at the newcomer.

“Next time I won’t miss, I promise you”- Taehyun growled, Yeonjun arriving next to him and immediately lock eyes with Beomgyu.

Daniel grinned at them, then back to Beomgyu, who looked at him with fear yet focused, ready to either dodge the Snow King or launch himself to grab the dagger.

Taehyun kept his gaze on the Snow King, pointing the golden gun at him, glancing rapidly at Beomgyu then noticing the dagger on the floor, an idea forming on his mind.

_If I manage to hurry… then it might work…_

He didn’t thought about it twice, he pointed the gun and fired it at the roof: the icicles cracking and falling down; Taehyun quickly grabbed Soobin and pulled him toward them, the boy falling in top of the youngster and whimpering in pain, the icicle in his arm still bleeding.

Beomgyu, at the distraction, moved rapidly toward the weapon, but what he didn’t took into account was the fact that Daniel was fast, incredibly fast, so he managed to escape the diversion that Taehyun caused and grabbed a handful of his silver locks and pull him back.

The young boy screamed, an arm then circling around his waist, the blue eyes tingling with tears of pain.

“I’m glad you’re back, my darling”- The Snow King whispered into his ear, a smile appearing on his lips, but it went away as soon as he felt something sharp hitting his head.

Beomgyu quickly ran as soon as he was free from the King’s hold, watching Yeonjun holding a now broken icicle, he scrambled toward the dagger, finally grabbing it.

A cry was heard.

Beomgyu turned around rapidly, seeing Daniel dragging Soobin to the center of the hall, the Summer king too weak and injured to put resistance.

Beomgyu noticed the numerous bruises, most of them –he guessed- coming from the whip, others from punches, his lips and left eye were bruised, but the one that worried him the most was the icicle on his shoulder: it was already melting, and it was causing frostbite that was already attacking him, spreading… he needed treatment immediately.

But Daniel had other ideas.

“You”- He pointed at Taehyun, who was still aiming his gun at him, trembling slightly with Soobin in the Snow King’s grasp- “Drop your gun, or he dies right now”

Taehyun lowered his gun hesitantly, the rage building up; Yeonjun and Beomgyu didn’t dare to move.

Daniel smiled, seeing everyone under his control, in fear that he would harm Soobin.

“That’s what I like to see”- He sneered- “Now…”

He glanced at Beomgyu, who lowered his eyes, fearful to meet the other cruel ones.

“Beomgyu, my love, come here”

The latter gulped, taking a step toward the Snow King, glancing at Soobin who pleaded him with his eyes not to do it, not to listen to him.

“That’s it, come on”

“Beomgyu, _don’t_ ”- Soobin whispered, his voice hoarse and weak.

The right hand of the Snow King held the Summer king from his throat, his nails now icy claws, and Beomgyu panicked:

“Daniel-“

“Come here _now_ ”

Beomgyu walked, trembling and feeling the dagger safely behind him on his belt, covered by his shirt so the Snow King didn’t see it. He needed to act fast, to stab the King, but… now that the Snow King’s attention was on him, it was going to be difficult, because any sudden movement would endanger the Sumer king.

As he was close to Daniel, he watched how Soobin was breathing heavily.

“I’m here, now let them go”- Beomgyu pleaded- “I- I promise I won’t leave”

“I’ve heard that before”- Daniel returned bitterly, Soobin whimpering as the King tightened his grip on his neck.

“I swear! I won’t go, please- Daniel-“

“Prove it then”- The blue eyes of the King glared at Beomgyu- “Take off the ring, do it”

“No, Beomgyu! _Don’t_!”- Soobin panicked, struggling to break from the grasp of the king.

“Do it, or I’ll kill them”- Daniel threatened.

Beomgyu looked at him, his eyes filling with tears as he glanced to Soobin; who kept yelling to him to not do it, then Taehyun; whose eyes screamed at him not to give up…

Then lastly Yeonjun; Beomgyu wanted nothing more than run toward him and engulf him in his arms and never let go, his stare was a mix of emotions; sadness, anxiety, helplessness, and it screamed to him:

_Don’t do it_

Beomgyu closed his eyes and glanced back at Daniel, who waited expectantly, and started to pull the ring out.

“Beomgyu!”- The boy heard Yeonjun scream, and he then heard an icicle crash on the ground, the male starting to run toward him but the Snow King stopping him.

Beomgyu sobbed, the ring was almost out, and he read the words inscribed on it over and over, like a sacred prayer, feeling fearful on what would happen next as soon as the object was out.

_The two of us will always be one_

_The two of us will always be one_

_Yeonjun_

_The two of us will always be one_

_The two of us will always be one_

_I’m so sorry_

_The two of us will always be one_

_The two of us will always be one_

_Yeonjun_

_Yeonjun_

The ground unexpectedly started to tremble and Beomgyu stumbled down; thick green vines emerged from the floor and many tangled around the Snow King’s arms, holding him tightly, forcing him to let go of Soobin.

The King of Summer fell on the floor coughing and rubbing his throat; Beomgyu grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the Snow King, whose eyes thundered with rage as he glanced everywhere, looking for someone:

“ _Huening Kai_ ”- He growled, freezing the vines and breaking them, but more coming out to replace the ones he destroyed.

The youngster came out of the hallways; some of his injuries visible, but looking renewed, holding an enraged expression. Beomgyu’s eyes widened when he saw the crown on Kai’s head.

“Huening Kai…“- Yeonjun muttered

“Well, well, well…”- Daniel Choi said firmly- “So you finally built up the courage to wear the crown”

“I was always king, but you and your monster of a reign always scared me to death, and made me feel insecure of myself”- He spat hatefully- “You have hurt the people I love, and now I’m going to protect them, because I’m a king”

Kai’s green eyes made Beomgyu’s skin crawl in fear; the smiley boy he met some time ago was gone, and now, standing before him was a King.

The King of the Spring.

The youngster glanced at Beomgyu, drawing near him:

“Get ready Ice Reaper, quick, stab him when you see the chance”- He glanced at Taehyun and Yeonjun- “Protect Soobin”

“Kai-“- The Summer king called, grabbing his arm.

“I’m coming back, I promise”- He smiled- “I’m going to protect you”

Beomgyu watched Soobin smile weakly at the youngster, a couple of tears falling down his cheeks, and the boy felt a renewed adrenaline shot through him; he unveiled the dagger and glanced at the Snow King, who kept trying to break free from the vines.

When he finally managed to do so; Kai was already summoning more, but the Snow King was fast now, now careful not to let his guard down like last time, he learned how the Spring king attacked, and he wasn’t going to fall for it a second time.

Kai, unlike last time, was now incredibly fast, and his vines were now stronger, his trees more lively and big, and the warm aura that he gave off was now incredibly powerful and comforting.

It was normal that the Snow King didn’t dare to go near him when he attacked… because at this point, it was more likely that Daniel and Kai were now equals, and the youngster was angry; extremely enraged, and that made things way more dangerous to the Snow King.

Choi Daniel glared at Kai, raising his hand and commanding the hundreds of icicles on the roof to fall, Beomgyu screamed in horror at the unexpected spell, but an enormous emerald wing covered him and Kai, shielding them from the attack.

As soon as the icicles were over, Kai flew toward the Snow King, trapping him with the vines, but managed to dodge them; a gunshot was heard and a scream erupted on the walls of the castle, a body hitting the stairs.

Daniel Choi glared fiercely at Taehyun, who aimed his gun at the elder while surrounding his arm around Soobin protectively.

“Kai! Now!”- He yelled

The new king commanded the vines and grew the trees in order to corner Daniel, yet a howling was heard coming from where the Snow King was trapped, the vines getting destroyed.

The Snow King’s hands broke the binds with the claws, and glared at them with a maddening smile, as he saw the ice giants and the wolfhounds arrived at the hall and surround the others.

“Just… _die_ ”- He yelled- “ _All of you!_ ”

A yellowish-dark dust began to appear from the grounds, causing every single thing it touched to rot, it began to attack the wolfhounds and the ice-giants on its way; killing them on the spot, transforming the remains into a pool of putrid water.

The dust moved from enemy to enemy, sparing no mercy whatsoever, and it even made Daniel wear a worried expression on his face.

“What-?”-

“Tae…”- Kai glanced at the Autumn prince…

His eyes were closed, focusing, sweat on his forehead as he commanded his attack.

As he watched over Taehyun, Soobin spotted a few enemies getting closer to them and lifted his hand weakly, only for Yeonjun to slam an iron rod on the ice giants, destroying them. The Summer king looked at him surprised, only for the elder to smile at him:

“Had to help somehow…”

“ _Kang Taehyun_ ”

The voice of the Snow King roared angrily, trying to break his concentration, but Soobin covered rapidly his ears, engulfing him in his arms and Yeonjun readying the iron rod protectively.

Daniel glared and walked toward them, the rage in his eyes, just as he was in front of them and was about to hurt them with his claws; Beomgyu rapidly stood between them, causing the Snow King to halt his attack.

The vines surrounded him once again as he had lowered his guard once again.

Daniel Choi looked at him intently, the malice in his eyes contrasting Beomgyu’s tenderness.

“And despite everything… You’re still my biggest weakness”- The Snow King muttered with a soft tone- “I should have killed you”

Beomgyu stayed silent, listening to him but maintaining his guard, walking toward him and the dagger in his hand.

“My beautiful Beomgyu”- Daniel cooed

“You’ve done enough, Daniel”- Beomgyu said firmly, eyeing him with anger- “All you did was to hurt the people that once cared for you, and you let your ambition and thirst for power get the better of you”

“Yes, but it’s thanks to this power that I got to find you, to kiss you”- Daniel stared intently at the boy in front of him- “ _and get the courage to kill you_ ”

The blood of Beomgyu froze when he saw the cruel smirk of the Snow King appear, and before he could back away, he felt an intense pain on his chest.

“ _Beomgyu!_ ”

The boy looked down, watching the claw of the Snow King on his chest, the blood pouring out, and then back to the King: the smile faltering on his lips…

He remembered what he once said to Beomgyu:

**_“I must decide now, to either keep you here with me forever, or kill you in the most painful way so these feelings can disappear forever"_ **

Beomgyu stumbled closer to him, the unconsciousness crawling on his mind but resisting the urge to pass out, drawing his lips to the ears of the king:

“Tell me, did they disappeared?”

Daniel glanced at him: his eyes never leaving the other boy’s face, a pained expression clearly visible as well as the honest tone on his voice:

“No”

The youngster nodded, and stabbed the Snow King’s heart with Ice-reaper.

“Beomgyu”- Daniel whispered, the claws digging deeper on his chest, eliciting a scream in pain from the youngster- “Die with me”

“No”- Beomgyu shook his head, burying the dagger deeper in the king’s heart.

“Then…”- The elder king whispered- “Be the king I never was”

And before Beomgyu could register what those last words meant, the king’s lips landed on the youngster’s for a second, feeling a strange sensation set on his chest, and a cold sensation on the ring on his finger.

Daniel Choi, as he looked at Beomgyu one last time, then turned to snow, the vines landing on the floor and a cold air blowing on Beomgyu’s face.

He looked at Yeonjun running to catch him, a panicked expression on his face, and lifted his hand to caress his cheek, feeling it wet…

“Junnie…”

“Beomgyu, hold on-“

_I need to go…_

And he closed his now deep blue eyes.

**+x+**

Beomgyu opened his eyes and found… darkness.

It was incredibly dark. So dark that he even wondered if he was still alive…

Was he? He was, right?

Daniel had stabbed him with his claws and he did bleed a lot-

He touched his chest and it didn’t hurt, no blood, just a formal white shirt and nothing else…

“King of the Winter”

Beomgyu turned around frightened, seeing Yeonjun and he smiled, but he halted the moment he managed to see the silver hair and blue eyes:

_Choi Daniel._

“They used to call me that, you know?”- He smiled bitterly, lifting his hand and the claws appearing- “We used to be close, all of us, Soobin, Taehyun and Kai… but then I started to seek more power just to be admired”

Beomgyu walked closer to him warily, feeling insecure around him.

“But it all got to me, so much power can transform the most tender heart to stone cold; I was the Snow King”- He looked to the youngster- “You are different; you’re pure and honest, loyal… all that I am not”

“I can’t”- Beomgyu said- “I have my family back home, my father, my friends, Yeonjun-“

“On Winter season you can go back home”- Daniel said suggested- “And then you come to the castle, _your_ castle… _your kingdom_ ”

“My father is alone, I can’t leave him-“

Beomgyu stayed silent, thinking about the offer:

“You’re a King now, Beomgyu… you will be a better Ruler than I was”- He insisted- “I was a monster and I leave as one. Don’t make the same mistakes I did”

Beomgyu stayed silent, and Daniel walked toward him, showing him a smile… a tender smile, one that the youngster had never seen on him:

“Take care of them for me”- He pleaded- “Especially Soobin… tell him that I’m really sorry, and that he’s an amazing and a brave king”


	10. Epilogue- (Unison)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys,   
> sorry for the late post, school has been tough lately and quite honestly ive been pretty sick too and still recovering the files from the computer. This chapter didn't end up like I wanted to, it was just 3 pages on my word document when the other that got deleted was at leas 4 or 5, i think. But what the other document didnt had was the cute interaction and badassness of Evie and here i could integrate her quite well, actually there was no Evie at all on the past document, so I'm glad I could find a way to put her here.  
> This fic has been quite a wild ride, and I'm glad you gave it a chance, i want to thank you all for waiting patiently and reading it, I mean it, thank you.  
> Enjoy the last chapter.

 

When Yeonjun came back to Waeng city… some people wanted to burn him for being suspect of witchcraft or demonic rituals.

Thankfully the people toned it down after a few days; mostly because Evie threatened to shoot everyone who came with the intentions to capture or kill Yeonjun… and she wasn’t joking: she had a gun and, people still remembered, that she has held the first place winner title of the National Championship Shooting Competition four times… to this day.

So, in conclusion, no one dared to cross her.

The moment she saw Yeonjun walking –more like tumbling- back to the house, she rushed to hug him, crying with happiness and made him go inside, burying him with blankets and hot chocolate. He answered her questions as best as he could, but when she asked about Beomgyu, he stayed silent, tears appearing on his eyes. She started to panic, but as he cried he had to assure her that Beomgyu was fine and that he was coming soon, but that he was finishing some things in another place.

“But then why are you crying?”- She asked urgently

“It’s just that… I miss him so much”- He sniffed, sighing sadly- “ _So so much_ ”

Evie smiled tenderly and hugged him, Yeonjun knew it, and she couldn’t hide it: she was sad and worried because Beomgyu didn’t come back, and she didn’t fully believe him. The elder was safe, but Beomgyu was nowhere to be found, only the assurance that he was “alive”, “great”, and attending some business”… and even though the boy insisted that he was going to come soon it unsettled her, and Beomgyu’s dad even more.

“He will tell you everything once you see him”- Yeonjun smiled- “I promise”

“Choi Yeonjun, just tell me already: did you two married in secret?”- Beomgyu’s dad asked exasperated-“I really don’t mind if you did, I will support you both, just-“

“No! No, I do wish that happened but no, we didn’t”-Yeonjun blushed and was incredibly sweaty at this point- “Just- please, he will explain everything, he will be back soon, he got this strict job he must attend to and he can’t come now but he will”

“Did you two had a fight and kicked you out of the house you two live-?”

“Evie, _no!_ ”

**+x+**

The return of Yeonjun and Beomgyu’s absentness triggered also the latter’s fans, especially Woo Seung, who didn’t stop blaming the elder for his disappearance, constantly pestering him, remembering that it was ‘his fault’ and that Yeonjun ‘took away the best _thing_ in this town’.

His bullying reached levels of hate that were a direct punch on his gut, -sometimes literally- and he did a great job masking it so Evie wouldn’t sniper them, but it did hurt anyway:

“You should have stayed missing”-Woo Seung would spat- “He would still be here”

_He would… he would indeed…_

He closed his eyes, remembering the youngster’s smile and shiny brown eyes full of happiness as he sat down on the bench near the gazebo, or skated on the lake, their hands entwined.

_Beomgyu would still be here with his dad, Evie, those annoying fans of his…_

And yet…

If he didn’t disappeared, then he wouldn’t have met the Kings of Summer, Spring and now renowned King of Autumn; whose friendship he treasures so deeply and needs to visit soon, but for now, he couldn’t… he wanted to live and not die burnt at the stake accused of “bringing demons”.

Still…

As the sat down on Umbra lake, far away from town, he gazed at the dark sky, the stars shining brightly as the inevitable tears started to fall down, as well as the constant self blame once again attacked him: if Yeonjun hasn’t disappeared that night, he would still be here with him and helping his dad at the hotel…

Which, Yeonjun was impressed when he returned to work there, because the old man Choi had now hired more personnel –and, to the boy’s dismay- he realized that they were Ice-giants who somehow adopted the appearances of humans, but Yeonjun didn’t want to cause the old man of his boyfriend to have a crisis, so he dropped the plan to tell him.

Looking back, if nothing had happened; Beomgyu would still help him somehow, just like old times; him being on reception handling clients and Yeonjun being the lovey bellboy admiring him from afar; the tender smile of him, his blonde hair, his brown eyes, those lips…

He let out a sob; he missed him so much…

He teared up, not noticing how the air grew cold by the minute.

A pair of arms circled behind him from his neck and Yeonjun finally noticed the snow falling down…

A whisper on his ear calling his name:

“Junnie”

He stood up rapidly turning around, seeing a pair of blue eyes and silver hair smiling at him; a golden crown rested on the head adorned with white diamonds, wearing a white and blue colored clothing: the royal attire.

“My king”- Yeonjun said breathlessly

“No- don’t”

“I- I’m sorry it’s just…”- He blushed- “You look beautiful, I- aish- Now I don’t want to take you back to Waeng Town; Woo Seung is not going to shut up and he’s going to kidnap you and then I’m going to be the one that-“

“Will come to rescue me?”- Beomgyu wondered

“And kill him on the process”- He said pouting- “Because you’re mine, my Beomie, my small pretty king”

Beomgyu kissed him with a chuckle, Yeonjun melting on the other’s lips, he missed this, he really did missed this so much; the sweet taste of Beomgyu, to hug him and have him in his arms, to caress his hair…

They stopped to catch air, Yeonjun’s forehead on Beomgyu’s, and the elder smiled:

“I love you”

“Me too”

“I missed you”

“Me too”- Beomgyu admitted, his smile widening- “Also Kai, Soobin, Taehyun-“

“Yeah about that… the whole town thinks I’m on a demonic sect and that I’m the reborn supreme demon lord, I swear!”- Yeonjun exclaimed while Beomgyu laughed loudly, resting his head on the elder’s shoulders.

After a couple of minutes of them trying to calm down from the laughter, Beomgyu spoke again:

“Huening Kai insists that you must try his apple pie”- Beomgyu teased- “It’s truly delicious”

“Tell him if he serves it to demon lords, because I will be treated like one if I leave now”

The youngster laughed loudly at that, the elder admiring how Beomgyu looked so pretty… it had been so long since he saw that smile…

“Look, just-“- He walked toward him- “I’ll come visit you soon I promise, but for now…”

“After I speak with my dad and Evie, I’m sure they will know how to handle the rumors, and things will get better once they see me coming back”- Beomgyu assured, caressing Yeonjun’s cheeks.

He engulfed Beomgyu on a hug, his hands then on the youngster’s nape pulling him on another kiss:

“You’re mine, my King of the Winter”

“I’m yours”

“I-“- Yeonjun buried his head on Beomgyu’s shoulder, blushing like crazy- “I really love you _so much_ ”

Beomgyu giggled, hugging the elder tightly:

“I really love you too, so, so much hyung”

“I’m afraid you’ll find someone more handsome, cool and funnier than me on the castle or at the town back there”- He muttered sadly.

Beomgyu quickly grabbed his head, making the elder stare at the youngster who glanced at him firmly:

“That will never happen”- He said- “I gave my life to rescue you, remember? And I would do it again”

Yeonjun stared at him wide eyed, a blush creeping up again.

“But now you’re stuck being a King and I-“- He lowered his head- “If you didn’t met me then you would still be with your dad and Evie-“

“And my life would be so dull, and I would have never met Soobin and the others”- He cupped Yeonjun’s chin- “And you”

The elder looked at the younger boy’s eyes, getting mesmerized by them, pulling him closer:

“I don’t deserve you”- Yeonjun whispered- “I love you, Choi Beomgyu”

“We both belong to each other”- the king responded, taking Yeonjun’s hand, caressing the ring on his finger while the older boy took the youngster’s hand with the now blue colored ring, starting to walk back to town- “Because the two of us will always be one”

Yeonjun smiled, kissing the love of his life and ruler of his heart, which was also now a king:

The King of the Winter.

FIN.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twitter!  
> @cutesymochi


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